Recovery
by AphroditeInferno
Summary: In a broken post-war world Harry is committed to Mungo's with mental instability. His only way out is to take a position at Hogwarts where he can be watched by McGonagall. There he runs into another young wizard searching for refuge, can Harry make friends with Malfoy? And with talk of the Mudblood Army rising, is it even safe?
1. The Malfoy Trials

_A/N - I have begun to edit these early chapters. There is some kind of bug on FanFiction on my Mac. Still my fingers are crossed that I'll be able to finish this story one day._

_Warning - This is a long and slow story. There will eventually be M-rated Slash so please don't read this if you don't like that. This isn't PWP and so you'll have to be patient._

_Disclaimer - The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books._

* * *

There was a loud crash down stairs followed by mumbled cursing

"_Severus Snape?"_

Hissed the voice

"Bloody Hell, I forgot about him."

"Shh, quiet Ron, he'll hear us."

The whoosh sounded right on queue and Hermione screamed. It seemed she had forgotten the specter as well as Mad Eye Moody's question and the tongue-tying curse.

_FILTHY! FILTHY BLOOD TRAITORS! SCUM AND BREEDERS OF SCUM! IN MY HOUSE! DISGUSTING MUDBLOOD AND HER BLOOD TRAITOR FILTHY HUSBAND, IN MY HOUSE!_

Harry sighed, he hadn't needed Mrs. Black's commentary to confirm it, there was little chance of him falling back to sleep.

Through the dusty, threadbare curtains he had hung, one sliver of light fell through and into the room. His snitch played with it dancing in and out.

_I open at the close_

The thought came to Harry with solemnity, he didn't care for those events, the glory along with the gore, but there was nothing else that lived inside his head anymore.

Ron and Hermione trundled up the stairs.

Although Harry hadn't bothered with many things in the house, disabling Moody's spell in the entrance for one, he had placed a variety of _sonorous_ charms at the doors and on the stairs, leading to his room. As a result he could hear every noise his two friends were making.

By the time Ron was pushing open the door Harry could not have been in a sourer mood.

"Where is he? I can't see anything." Hermione whispered.

She was clinging tightly to Ron's arm as they both inched closer to the bed.

"Shh, hold on…" Ron pulled away from her and pulled out his wand.

"_Lumos."_ The wand tip lit up and Harry winced, immense pain burst behind his eyeballs, bringing back bad memories.

"Oh Harry!" Hermione gushed in despair, taking in the sight of him.

"What have you done to yourself?"

Harry deliberated how best to handle the situation. With the little strength he had he pushed himself into a half-sitting position and flicked back his lank greasy hair, feeling under his fingers that the light stubble on his chin was growing into a thick beard over his jaw. He reached out to his right, scanning over the bedside table until it brushed his glasses, he grabbed them and shoved them on his face.

Hermione sat down beside him.

"Have you been eating?" She asked, studying his claw-like hand and thin arm.

Kreacher had brought food to him but Harry had sent him back to the Hogwarts's kitchens when he realized he'd rather not speak or look at anybody. For a while after he'd summoned food items from down stairs but it had either run out or his magic had grown too week, there was nothing left for him to do but lie in bed and wait for the inevitable.

Hermione, tearing up, leant forward to embrace him, almost instantly she recoiled.

"H-have you been bathing?" She asked, barely resisting to bring her hand to her nose. Of course he hadn't.

Ron who was standing by silently finally spoke, in a soft broken voice.

"It's been three months mate, we haven't seen you in three months."

Harry gazed between his two friends with his sore eyes.

"But you knew where I was?" Harry's voice croaked painfully, it sounded totally foreign in his ears.

Ron shrugged. "We only guessed."

Harry sighed. "I can't go out there, I just can't deal with all those people."

"We know." Anger quavered in Ron's voice. "Don't think they've ignored us, we might not be _the _savior but we've had to put up with all the questions."

Harry gulped, feeling guilty. He had never wanted to return to Grimmauld Place, Sirius' prison; surely Ron and Hermione had visited reluctantly.

"Harry you need to get up!" Hermione cried, Harry knew, he'd been telling himself that for weeks but he was glued still.

"So how have the celebrations been?" He asked with bitterness, he hoped to drive them away by inciting more anger.

"Don't try that." Ron spoke, no anger anymore.

"You know as well as we do that we haven't been celebrating, we've been at Mungo's."

Harry tried to catch up.

"George." Hermione aided eventually.

It felt like Harry's stomach had dropped away, how had he forgotten that? Another reason to stay in bed, to go out into the world would mean to see all the gaps where the people should have been.

"Mum wont leave his side so we've been keeping her company. But to be honest he looks a hell of a lot better than you do. He asked to see you but you better not go in there unless you want to have a bed set up next to his."

That was exactly what Harry didn't want; it was one thing to be in a terrible state, it was another for the world to know about it.

"So why have you come here today…I mean if you guessed where I was, why did you want to come and see me all of a sudden?"

"We knew it would be no use coming earlier and it's understandable but now it's not about you anymore…you've been summoned." Hermione breathed.

"I've been what?"

"To court." Ron added helpfully.

"Haven't you been Owled?" Asked Hermione.

Owls couldn't get to Grimmauld Place; it was still blocked to anyone who didn't know the address.

Harry shook his head.

"Ron go and run the bath." Hermione whispered, putting her hands on Harry's shoulders to look him in the eye.

"The Malfoy trials are today." She spoke very seriously and calmly. "They have summoned you as witness."

"Who has?"

"I'm not sure. I've been interning for the Regulation and Classification of Magical Creatures Office so the undersecretary for Magical Law Enforcement wont let me near the case. Then this came out in the _Prophet_."

Hermione pulled the Wizarding paper out of her robes and read it allowed to Harry.

"_The World of witchcraft and wizardry has all eyes on the ministry as the trials for Death Eaters begin on Monday._

_More than an eighth of the Ministry's staffs have been sacked as honorary Minister, Kingsley Shacklebolt desperately attempts to reinstate order to the system._

_Former head of Misuse of Magical artifacts, Perkins allegedly stated, "He couldn't care less." But requested that his comment be "off record." Other members of the ministry have proved equally elusive to the goings on after the Battle of Hogwarts and the final defeat of Lord Voldemort._

_Still it is with great skill of this wonderful reporter that I may bring to you the exclusive information that Dementors are still being used in the Ministry's Law Enforcement._

_These vile creatures blatantly defied our kind and abandoned posts in the final years of the battle, yet still our minister shields himself behind flimsy excuses of "laws" and it can be stated quite confidently that the Dementor's Kiss could be a likely outcome for the up and coming trials…."_

Hermione looked up from the paper, wide eyed. Harry shuddered at the memory of the creatures he feared most.

"It's all true. The Regulation and Classification of Magical Creatures Office is quite clear about it. The Dementors are an integral to the Wizengamot trials. If a wizard uses an unforgivable or commits a murder with magic, they get the kiss. That means today…the Malfoys…Kingsley really can't do anything. He wants to have them destroyed but getting that started will take a year at least."

Harry nodded, feeling ill. He hated the Malfoys Lucius, Narcissa and Draco all deserved to rot in Azkaban for what they had done. But Harry wouldn't have even subjected Bellatrix to the kiss.

"You have to go." Hermione added. "You know they weren't fighting for Voldemort by the end."

"They weren't fighting for us either."

"If Mrs. Malfoy had just turned you in in the Forbidden Forest their side would have won. Harry, they gave up on Voldemort, you can't let them go to the Dementors!"

"Save it for court Hermione." Harry urged, trying to get out of bed.

"You're going?"

"Of course I am." He tried to shakily step toward the bathroom, Hermione quickly rushed to help him. By the time she walked him to the open door, he had barely the strength to stand-alone. Ron got up from where he sat and tested the water and helped Harry over to the tub. Hermione vanished the former pajamas that were more sweat-stained old rags Harry wouldn't have wanted to touch either.

"What do you think of all this?" he asked as Ron cast _Scourgify _at him.

Hermione, discretely keeping her eyes adverted had dashed to collect some potions and clean robes she'd left in the entrance.

"You know what she's like when she attaches to a cause."

"But why this one?"

Ron shrugged and Hermione came back with the items in hand, having summoned them from the bedroom.

Ron helped Harry shave whilst Hermione cut his hair. Letting out the water they pulled him out and dried him.

Ron helped Harry into the robes whilst Hermione poured the various potions down his throat.

"Now these wont help the fact you've been on an inadequate diet for too long but they'll be a quick fix for today."

Shaven, clean dressed and feeling a lot better albeit anxious, Harry pulled away from them to stand by the cracked mirror, all of his confidence fled.

He was still extremely thin like a scarecrow, his green eyes were dull and sunken, dark shadows circled them, his wet hair didn't stick up anymore but was lank and dead. The only thing about his face that held any color happened to be the big, red, ugly lighting shaped scar.

"Let's go now." Hermione urged, pulling him away gently. They helped him down the steps and eventually they were outside on the doorstep. With an uncomfortable side-along Apparition they found themselves outside the ministry.

They went in via the muggle streets, cramming each into the phone booth and going down together.

"Alright mate, you're going to be ok."

Harry gulped, Hermione stayed behind in the main hall whilst Ron continued walking him forward.

"Hermione?" Harry managed to ask in a weak, scared voice.

"It's alright mate, she just hasn't been summoned, is all."

"Have you been summoned?"

"No, but I work here too."

It made sense, the reason why they knew about the Malfoy case. Still, it had only been three months.

Ron had to continue leading Harry because he refused to look up, refused to acknowledge the place he was in and the people staring at him. They got in the lifts and Harry still didn't look up then.

The lift stopped and Ron pulled him out.

"This isn't the right floor." Harry declared, hurrying after his friend.

"Yes it is and we're going to be late."

They ran, panic rising, and suddenly Ron stopped by some painted doors, he grabbed the handle of one and it swung open.

"Quick, in."

Harry was shoved inside the small courtroom just as Kingsley Shacklebolt, seated center front was telling everyone to be seated. Harry immediately plunked down on the backmost seat of the arena-styled arrangement, hoping to be unnoticed. He could see the Malfoys down the front, Draco closest to him and all looking away.

"We will begin." Said Kingsley, the Minister sounded tired. How he'd found time to stand in on hearings remained a mystery to Harry.

He began addressing their reasons for being in court, recapping the events of the war and the seriousness of the older Malfoy's involvement, there was no way the old man was getting off without at least life in Azkaban, and as Harry thought of Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, even Colin Creevey. Had the bloody death eaters thought twice about him as they stormed a god damned school? He knew didn't want the Malfoy's off, if Lucius wasn't a worthy opponent for Azkaban then who was?

"…However as these crimes occurred during times of war then we are under the obligation to approach these as allegations as war crimes."

The Minister's words came out in a drone as if he'd said them a hundred times.

"If it can be proven that these actions were made not of your own accord, that you did not willingly join the organization notoriously referred to as the Death Eaters, that your crimes against the Wizarding world were made under threat for your lives and wellbeing then your current sentences will be reviewed and further hearings will be held."

Shacklebolt sucked in a huge breath.

"As the sentences stand. Narcissa Malfoy, for your willing affiliation with the Death eaters, the accidence of the imprisonment and torture of Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Garrick Olivander, Harry Potter Dean Thomas and Ronald Weasley within your home, your use of the unforgivable curses within and outside the battle of Hogwarts against those established with ministry authority and your participation in the murder of Charity Burbage, you're sentenced with life in Azkaban."

Harry had to double take; Life? When she wasn't even a death eater? The fair woman disregarded her usually composed demeanor as she broke down, sobbing into her hands. But what did all this mean for…

"Lucius Malfoy…." The list of crimes longer by tenfold, "involvement in the torture of muggles…murder of muggles...use of unforgivable imperious curse on Ministry wizards Boderick Bode and Sturgis Podmore…instigation of the Battle of the Department of Mysteries as commander appointed by Lord Voldemort, escaping imprisonment…And participation in the Battle of Hogwarts you're sentenced with the Dementor's kiss."

Of course, how could it have been anything else? But still Harry's head was spinning; he was in fact in shock, so much so he missed all of Draco's crimes until Kingsley repeated

"The Dementor's kiss."

Narcissa's scream was ear splitting and Lucius finally tossed aside his reserves to cradle her in his arms.

Harry sat stock-still and barely breathed. He glanced once at Malfoy's face and decided not to do that ever again.

"We will now hear your pleas." Stated Kingsley, looking rather shaken and upset too.

The first person to take the stand made Harry blanch due to the resemblance to her sister. Andromeda dove straight into her defense of Narcissa. Though her voice was cold and reserved she displayed fascinating insight into Narcissa's struggle to keep herself and her son safe. The court sat in stunned silence as Andromeda recounted "Bella and Cissy's" visit to the house of Severus Snape on Spinner's end, making the unbreakable vow to protect her son and husband. Notably, however she didn't waste a single breath defending Lucius.

Next McGonagall emerged from somewhere in the crowd in front of Harry. She wore her trademark expression. Completely emotionless she spoke on behalf of Dumbledore. He had offered the Malfoys protection and she planned to see his wishes through. No doubt Lucius deserved to sit out his many sentences for the death and destruction he had caused but Draco was her student, as far as she was concerned, and Dumbledore's legacy demanded no student of Hogwarts would come to harm. "For goodness sakes you fools he's little more than a child!" None of the Wizengamot could meet the reprimanding gaze of the headmistress. McGonagall made sure she subjected each and every one to it before sitting down. Hagrid stood to replace her and made a short gruff statement. "Them there Malfoys din' even keep fightin' they jus ran round lookin' fer their son an' Mrs. Malfoy she din' need ter say Harry was dead, if yer ask me they cared more 'bout Draco then Voldemort."

Then he sat down, looking embarrassed as the bench squeaked loudly.

"She didn't need to say Harry was dead?" Asked one of the Wizengamot

"Harry Potter?" Asked another.

Not sure what to do Harry cleared his throat. What ever he had expected it had not been for the entire court to be stunned into silence, looking at him as if he'd entered through the ceiling.

"Um, Potter, could you please um make your statement?" Shacklebolt asked uncertainly.

Shakily Harry made his way down, wishing he was still in number 12, wasting away in bed. The realization that he had the Malfoy's lives in his hands was starting to weigh on him as he came in front of the Wizengamot.

He cleared his throat looking at the array of plumb-robed witches and wizards each emblazoned with the silver W that was becoming all too familiar with him.

"Right. Mrs. Malfoy protected me in the Forbidden Forest."

"How so?"

Harry cleared his throat again, hundreds of eyes were burning into him and he felt faint. Where had Ron gone? Had he even come through the door with him?

"Voldemort asked to check if I was alive."

"Could you be more specific?"

" Voldemort thought I was dead you see, he sent Narcissa to confirm, she lied to him and saved me."

"And she knew you were alive?"

"Yes…she spoke to me."

The Wizengamot members erupted in hushed discussion, the elderly fellow directing most of the questions turned back to Harry.

"What did you discuss?"

"She-she asked me if Malfoy…I mean Draco was alive and in the castle…I nodded."

The Wizengamot warlock took this in and shared a meaningful look with Shacklebolt.

"A-also after that they stopped fighting, I mean for Voldemort, they just wanted to find…their son."

"They withdrew their support for he-who-must-not-be-named, and more notably _before _the battle had been decided." The Warlock rephrased and Harry nodded.

"Yes." He replied after being prompted to speak by young bespectacled witch sitting beside Kingsley acting as stenographer. She had on her robes a large nametag reading "Audrey" and reminded Harry of Percy Weasley.

"Also there's more."

"More?"

"Um in my second year Lucius, he discarded a Horcrux, um part of Voldemort's soul, it would have put his family under threat when Voldemort returned."

"Is it true that you yourself witnessed Mr. Malfoy willingly return on Voldemort's summons and pledge loyalty?" The Wizengamot member who asked that received unanimous looks of annoyance.

"Yes I did."

"Would this not have consequentially brought his family closer to the danger?"

"Yes I suppose." Then Harry's brain clicked

"No but at that time no one had any idea about the horcuxes."

"Also." Piped up and unexpected voice. "At that point in time the Malfoys would have had no way of knowing the crimes the late Tom Riddle was going to force them to commit. None of his former followers could have predicted the effects disembodiment and re-birth would have had on him or his plans, or that he would turn on his own followers."

Harry turned to see a flushed Hermione, she glanced at him and gave him an encouraging smile.

"When we were captured and taken to the Malfoy's Manor, Malf-Draco was asked to identify me, and he said he couldn't" Harry told the court, now more confident.

"Could you?" The question was now directed at Malfoy and there was a moment of silence.

Harry didn't look to where the shaky voice was coming from.

"Maybe if he hadn't been brought in with Granger and Weasley. His face had been hexed, but I knew who he was."

"Why didn't you identify him then?"

There was more stunned silence from the Malfoys.

"I'd like to say this under Veritaserum." Draco announced and Narcissa gave an audible gasp.

"Very well."

Still Harry didn't look as someone, probably an Auror brought out the potion and gave it to Malfoy. After a while there was the sound of a slump from the chair.

"When Harry Potter was captured and brought to the Malfoy property, did you have the opportunity to identify him?"

"Yes." The answer was slow but clear.

"Who asked you to identify him?"

"My aunt Bellatrix and my father."

"What did you assume would happed if you identified him?"

"They were going to summon the Dark Lord."

Shacklebolt intervened the Warlock's questioning.

"You protected Harry's identity so you wouldn't have to face Voldemort?"

"It was part of it." Malfoy breathed unsteadily for a bit but went on.

"I was scared of Voldemort and I didn't want to follow him. I was scared he would kill mother and father. A-a-and I knew he wanted to kill Harry Potter I just didn't want to watch it."

"Why not."

"I'd known him for years and Granger and Weasley. I thought I hated them but I couldn't watch them die. Especially not Harry."

Open mouthed the Wizengamot and entire court gaped at Malfoy, stunned into breathless silence.

"Our whole family was under threat, we're pure bloods, and he was still willing to kill us if we disobeyed him. And he killed Diggory, his blood was purer than his and he still killed him, it was like his plans meant nothing anymore."

A Wizengamot witch leant forward.

"You're not saying that you still support pureblood supremacy?"

A whimpering sound was made before the youngest Malfoy answered.

"Yes, I always have! Only purebloods can understand what it is to have magic, always we will be better then muggleborns."

Some of the Wizengamot actually dropped their heads into their hands and groaned.

"Draco Malfoy…."

Malfoy took another breath and continued. "But I don't hate them... anymore. I don't want to kill any of them, not even Granger."

Harry could see Hermione grin briefly.

"There was no point to Voldemort's plan. It didn't make sense…killing muggles…how would that help us? Make us stronger? We'd die out without the muggles."

Lucius Malfoy hissed but his wife hushed him.

"The only thing Voldemort wanted was to kill _him_."

"Can you elaborate to whom you are pointing?"

"Harry Potter."

"So you knowingly dealt a fundamental blow against Voldemort, aiding his vanquisher, Harry Potter's escape with your desired outcome being his ultimate defeat?"

"Yes."

"And you were, if not forced, at least compelled and unwilling to become a death eater?"

"Yes."

"And you and your parents willingly withdrew all support for the Dark Lord before his down fall?"

"Yes."

"I think we have enough."

Various discussions commenced around the courtroom; swiftly Hermione came next to Harry and discreetly supported some of his weight.

"Sorry about that, the department of Magical Law Enforcement finally listened and let me come last minute."

"Thanks you helped me out a lot."

"It's okay, it's obvious no one here wanted to see a seventeen year old get the kiss."

"Still…"

"Those potions should be making you a bit disorientated."

"To say the least."

"Just try to hold on."

The discussions ceased and Shacklebolt asked for everyone to be seated.

"On review all sentences have been decreased."

Harry let out some breath he hadn't known he was holding.

"Narcissa Malfoy will be placed on monitored house arrest for the remaining year, after which she'll be eligible to purchase a new wand. Lucius Malfoy hereby has his sentence decreased to life in Azkaban, and will be eligible for parole in twenty years and his wand seized and snapped in half. Draco Malfoy."

There was a pause,

"You are released without charge."

Harry had no time to react, all at once it seemed his potions were wearing off and so was any strength to stand.

"We've got to go." He whispered to Hermione. Understanding she placed a quick mobilicorpus charm on him and guided him out of the courtroom, his feet hovering centimeters above the ground. Outside the doors Ron met them and immediately became panicked.

He was asking Hermione something but Harry couldn't quite hear, everything was going fuzzy, they were rushing him somewhere but he couldn't quite tell because he was falling asleep.


	2. St Mungo's

A/N - okay so this is an awful chapter and I considered cutting it out or re-writing it completely, however this story is about character development, it's about 'what is not everything was sunshine and rainbows after the war?' and 'what if Harry wasn't as straight as everyone thought he was'. I'm not going to lie, you may be screaming for some PWP action but trust me, as many agonising PG chapters there are I'll be putting in twice as many hot, sexy, nasty ones. Just tell me if it gets too boring or inbox me some good ideas, I'm open to changing the plot line right now.

_Disclaimer - The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books._

* * *

_**August 2nd - 10th **_

A bleary out of focus image. Darkness, cool, darkness, darkness was good. Oh no he was awake again, he was definitely somewhere, and someone was looking down on him grinning. Oh, hello again darkness, so lovely to see you again.

"Finally awake Harry?"

The room coming into focus brought a new meaning to clarity, a bed, white sterile sheets, empty potions vials, a rather intricately charmed window showing a view of the Sahara desert, a surprisingly calming choice, though the blurred image flickered occasionally.

"St Mungo's?" Harry asked his companion warily.

"Good guess, ten points to Gryffindor I think…

You're right better make it twenty…

I know, fifty."

The person was just as blurred to Harry as the charmed window and everything else that side of the room, that's right, his glasses. He groped around for them, knocking over a vial or two before he got them to his face.

"As clumsy as ever…

No I don't think that would work."

Yes it was George, he'd recognized the voice, Harry felt total dismay as he realized the wizard was holding a conversation that was being interjected by someone else, someone not there, Harry only needed one guess as to who that was and felt sick.

"Oh Harry dear!" The door opened and in came Mrs. Weasley, tear stained and holding a filthy handkerchief.

"Look at you, you poor thing, we wanted to find you, we truly did, at least for your birthday…oh blast it all! We were a little distracted, I don't expect you to forgive us."

Harry couldn't help but glance at George, really there was nothing to forgive.

"It's alright Mrs. Weasley I really didn't remember anyway."

"Poor, poor dear!" And she burst into tears, grasping his hand tightly in hers.

"…I know, I thought visiting hours were over too."

The matriarch's sobbing stopped completely.

"Oh I see George has found you." She whispered.

"…She seems to always be forgetting you these days…

Too right!"

"Goodness, I'm sorry Harry."

There was something clearly wrong with George, Harry could tell just by seeing him that he probably wasn't meant to be wandering around the hospital and popping in to see him.

"It's really alright, I understand, and I'm the one who's sorry, will he be alright?"

"Oh yes, it's just the potions they've got him on, to cope, you know, they disorientate him a bit and sometimes he thinks, he thinks that Fred's still here."

By the end of the sentence her voice broke and she began crying again, Harry's throat was officially closed up and he felt very much like joining her. He looked toward George who looked baffled.

"Why are you crying mum? Fred's right here. Tell her Fred!"

The door opened again and in came a mediwitch and a healer.

"So sorry, I can't begin to explain! Sorry, Mr. Potter, Mrs. Weasley, some along now, George, Fred, you'll need to come back to bed now, it's after hours."

George nodded solemnly and allowed the mediwitch to usher him out and away. The healer turned toward the bed.

"Could I have a moment with Mr. Potter?"

Molly, who'd been unable to pull herself back together merely, gave a tight nod before she fled the room after George.

"As you can understand absolute discretion has been used regarding you and you have been registered here under the name Wallowin Ebenezer."

"Um, thanks?" Harry said to the strange Healer. He was a tall man with an air of sophistication, he seemed to know it.

"I don't think we even need to define the cause of your onset depression but your self neglect, was quite frankly the worst I've encountered. This really should have been foreseen, I am appalled that you were left alone with no immediate therapy and consultations, I have fought hard and have been granted your case, I can inform you that you will not be admitted indefinitely."

Harry held his breath, anticipating the "but"

"Of course you can not be left alone in you current state. I've taken the liberty to appoint to you a guardian."

"A what!"

"Harry, doing anything less on my part would be seen as neglect, don't worry we have chosen carefully. She'll be arriving any minute."

"Look, whoever you are, can't I choose my own guardian?"

"I apologize." Said the healer looking at his watch. "I'm healer Dante Everglade, you can call me what ever you choose during our sessions which I'll conduct discretely by Floo every fortnight. As for your guardian, she should be arriving now, if you still wish to change guardians I'm sure she'll be up to discussing it with you."

The door to the room opened for the third time that night and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He would not need to change guardians, he did feel a little guilty taking up the headmistress' time but she didn't seem to mind.

McGonagall's beady eyes took him in and she shook her head.

"I'm happy to see your alive Potter."

"Thank you professor."

"Though it was a narrow miss."

"Yes I'm getting a bit tired of them."

"Finally, some proof of intelligence!" She turned to healer Everglade. "How much longer will you be monitoring him for?"

"Until he is stable, including his magic, it seems he hasn't been using it."

McGonagall pursed her lips.

"Well I'll have you send anything of importance to me via owl, I'm sure Potter will allow me to consult matters privately with Madame Pomfrey?"

Harry nodded.

"Just give me word and I'll send for him to return."

"To where?" As far as Harry knew McGonagall didn't have a real home outside of Hogwarts.

"To the school Harry, back to Hogwarts."

He couldn't help it; he hadn't done it in months, and perhaps in over a year but hearing that just made him smile.

* * *

They'd let him rest after that, all afternoon then all night, the next morning he'd thought he'd be lying around in boredom forever until a mediwizard came in wearing a toothy grin.

"Hello Mr. Ebenezer healer Everglade sent me in, how are you?"

Harry shrugged. It turned out he'd be doing daily physical and magical exercises until everything stabilized.

"What's your name anyway?"

Harry asked twenty minutes into a training mirage.

"My name's Rhys love, not to worry I'll just be calling you Wallowin like everybody else."

Rhys had a Welsh accent and Harry found himself getting along with him.

"What are these spells?" Harry panted into his workout that had caused him to sweat.

The spells in question were a series of illusion spells that took him through various settings, including a recreational room where there was a mechanical broom and goblin-dummies that chased him and engaged him in combat.

"These are a series of _chimeriation _charms, are you feeling all right?"

Harry nodded as he shakily lunged away from another goblin attack.

"I was told you shouldn't be pushed too far, not only is it your first day but you look all skin and bone."

Harry laughed, in truth he was feeling light headed again but he'd eaten a hearty dinner and filling breakfast that had restored an unnatural amount of strength, he was enjoying the movement. The attack stopped and suddenly he found himself unsteady.

"Alright, we're done here or else Dante will have my head."

The recreation hall faded back into the hospital room and Rhys began scribbling notes down on some parchment with a lime-green quill that matched his robes.

"You should probably wash off before your session with Dante, you know the shower's through there right? And it looks as though you have some visitors so you best get to it."

Rhys flashed him another grin and a wink before he headed out the door. Before it closed Harry recognized a flash of red hair and bushy brown, he would be taking a shower and not a short one.

By the time he got out he decided not to be angry with his friends, a decision helped by the morning tea set out for him when he came back into the room. With a sigh he called for them to come in.

In a frenzy Hermione burst through the door and over to him, embracing him tightly.

"I'm so sorry Harry! I know this is the last place you want to be but after you fainted there was nothing else we could do!"

"It's alright 'mione, I don't care, actually you probably saved my life so I do care a bit, thank you."

She pulled back to look at him curiously.

"What potions have they got you on?"

"They haven't given me any."

"Yes they have, what do you think they cook all this with?"

She pointed to the pile of buttermilk pancakes topped with fruit and sided with hash browns and ham. Tenderly she picked up a pancake and sniffed it.

"Ron, taste this."

Ron looked at her scandalized.

"It's alright with me." Harry laughed

"Alright I'll try it myself." Hermione took a bite and put it back.

"Strange." She muttered.

"Harry I don't know what's gotten into her, she hasn't been home much…"

"They're only giving you the standard nourishing potions and magic stabilizers."

"So?" Harry asked, beginning on the food before it cooled.

"I thought they'd have you on a calming draught but that has a distinct citrus taste and lemony smell."

"I don't care, I don't need a calming draught."

"Exactly! That's so unlike you."

She scrutinized his face suspicion clear in her eyes; Harry cracked a smile at her and shoved a hash brown in his mouth, Ron shook his head and sat down beside him, after a few seconds they were all bursting with laughter, relief on the part of Ron and Hermione and amusement from Harry.

* * *

After he ate they all went and saw George who was still under the delirium of potions, Harry decided to not acknowledge "Fred" it seemed wrong to him. Instead he spoke straight to the living brother until they got into conversation that didn't need to be interjected. Eventually Ron and Hermione left for work and Arthur swung by. He looked dreadful, thin and pale, balder then ever; Harry would have put it down to the grief that had worn away at Mrs. Weasley had it not been for a distinct limp and shortness of breath, they couldn't hold much conversation without the ageing man needing to cough into his sleeve. Eventually Harry had to leave to see healer Everglade.

* * *

Five days in Mungo's saw Harry forming routine. By far Harry's favorite times was his morning physical therapy with Rhys, the mediwizard had found he responded best to flying and had created a _chimeriation _that simulated Quidditch games.

After his first session with Dante the healer had put him on some extra potions, a weak draught of peace and sleep solution to ensure he was under no stress whilst his magical and physical strength replenished. The healer had dedicated the whole first session to drilling in that his mental state was in a whole different category and no potion or charm could give it a boost, Harry would need to start the process himself, after that each day they simply discussed the mundane, was he eating? Who visited? What do you think the weather in London is like? It was safe but Harry knew it wouldn't last.

On his fifth day George was off his potions; Harry understood he was taking a great deal including Draught of Peace, Elixir to induce Euphoria, Forgetfulness potion, Invigoration Draught as well as cheering charms and an induced chimeriation. Without it all the young man became catatonic and the only people who could bear to see him were himself and Mr. Weasley, or so he'd thought, today whilst he sat and chatted to George's still form, telling him about Ron and Hermione's small bonding ceremony, Mr. Weasley was no where in sight.

He described everything in detail.

"It was only a month after the war on the beach at Bill and Fleaur's seashell cottage, everyone was thinking they were too young, but no one was going to say it after what they'd been through. Hermione had looked beautiful, her parents Ed and Jean were there, although they were still confused and in the process of regaining their memories. Ron had never been so happy, before Hermione came down from the house I'd leant in toward him and asked if he realized dating was the usual protocol. Ron, he just looked back at me cheerfully and said they'd been practically married for eight years this just made it official."

George had been in Mungo's already, Ginny had been there though, Harry didn't know why but he hadn't spoken to her and he hadn't seen her afterwards, it just didn't seem like such a big deal.

Finally George closed his eyes and Harry took it as his time to leave. Heading back to his floor he found himself passing the consultation rooms, as he did so the door to one opened and Arthur Weasley came out coughing into his sleeve.

He stopped, looking quite startled as he recognized Harry. They were quite alone in the after-hours halls standing in dimmed light. Arthur had never looked so decrepit and tired to Harry, he was stooped over and breathing heavily.

"Are you alright Mr. Weasley?" He asked uncertainly.

"Oh yes, I suppose you caught me, I've been having check ups."

Harry swallowed thickly, dread creeping up his spine.

"Do you mind if I ask what for?"

Arthur didn't even try to hide the wince that came across his face.

"Erm, no it well it seems that a small portion of that snake of you-know-who's venom was still in my system after it got me that one time. The healers have done a very good job, you see the venom can't be removed so they've isolated it and stopped any blood flow to the area."

Arthur Weasley lifted up his trouser leg and showed a horribly swollen ankle.

"Will you be alright?" Harry asked and Arthur gave him an affectionate smile.

"Well you know, some damage has been done, none to my magic thank the stars, physically things have been better though."

"I'm-"

"Don't go apologizing Harry, you've been doing far to much of that lately, it's all alright, actually it's brought Percy back to us which is more than I could have hoped for."

The older man's eyes misted over.

"D-do you know, he's stepping up and training to take over as head of the department of muggle artifacts? Can you believe it? And he could have trained anywhere else!"

Mr. Weasley was grinning, though he was still choked up.

"But does that mean you're stepping down?" Harry asked, wandering what could take the old Weasley away from the job he loved so much.

"I've been offered another job actually, I'm unable to get out much anymore and the actual tracking down of the artifacts is where all the fun is so I'm becoming the new muggle studies professor."

"That's brilliant!" Harry cried, earning him a glare from a passing healer, Mr. Weasley chuckled.

"Yes, so I suppose we will be seeing each other, I have been going to night lessons these last months but I don't have much more to learn, I already have NEWTS and BATS in muggle studies so it's all just class planning and other tosh."

"They couldn't have picked anyone better."

"Thank you, anyway I have to get going, and about what I've told you, Molly doesn't need to know."

"I understand, see you."

He was happy for Mr. Weasley and glad there would be someone he knew at Hogwarts, it was a harrowing thought that none of his old classmates might return, there was little reason for them to with the ministry offering entry levels in most departments for those who were in the battle. Surely Hermione would go back, he'd have to ask her. Probably Ginny wouldn't if she was with the Harpies now, Harry's heart sank there didn't seem to be any relationship left between them.

* * *

The next day went by as habitually as ever, Harry ending it by heading towards George's room.

"Hey mate!"

He looked up to see Ron standing outside and smiled at him. His red headed friend stopped and looked a little surprised.

"It's strange seeing you smile so much!"

He exclaimed smiling back.

"Hey Ron, Hermione's interning at the ministry right?"

"Yeah with the department of magical law, don't know why though, it's a boring choice, plus she keeps wanting to bring in ELF and SPEW stuff, she wont listen to me for much longer."

"So she isn't going back to Hogwarts?"

"Oh yeah she has to, I mean they expect her to get her NEWTS or else she wont be able to get very far, plus I'm fine looking after the house."

"The house?" Ron's ears went vermillion.

"Well sure, I mean you do remember the ceremony?"

"Of course I remember I was your best man."

"Well it isn't as if we could just move in with mum and dad, we spent some time with Jean and Ed, you know so Hermione could help them with their memories and things but, we're married now."

"So you got a house?"

"Um…"

Harry pushed aside his conflicted feelings and grinned.

"That's brilliant!" He hugged his friend who was still struggling for words.

"I'll have to come and see it, how did you afford it?"

"Well obviously I got a job."

Harry let go of him.

"At the ministry?"

"The Auror department, Kingsley's let some of us in without NEWTS, we still have to pass the examinations but they help us get there, it's the greatest job ever, I actually get paid for doing basically what we've done since first year. You'll join up too wont you?"

Harry gave him a warm smile.

"Of course I will, just not straight away."

"Brilliant, we need someone like you, a leader you know. Seamus got in somehow, no idea and well I suppose you've got to meet the rest of them but we're none of us any good at being in charge."

"I look forward to it."

"So you'll be at Hogwarts then?"

"Looks like it."

"But you're not studying?"

"It doesn't look like I need to."

"Do you know what McGonagall will have you doing?"

Harry went to shrug but George's door opened and they were both distracted by Charlie storming out looking as pale as a sheet.

He looked at the boys each in turn, he opened his mouth to say something but he changed his mind. Shaking his head he walked off.

"Is he okay?" Harry asked Ron

"Oh yeah, I'd forgot for a moment."

"Forgot what?"

"George." Ron said and Harry understood. It turned out they hadn't put him back on the potions and charms, it seemed he wanted to stay lucid.

"I can go in." Harry suggested.

"You don't have to."

"I won't if you think it will make things worse."

"Actually he seems to like you the most right now. Says you talk to him when he's off the potions."

"I wasn't sure if he'd remember."

Ron shrugged. Harry nodded and approached the room, as he was going through the door he realized Ron was coming in after him.

The room was dark; the enchantment on the window was taken off completely showing a bare wall behind the frame. Curled up on the bed was George, completely catatonic and staring at nothing in particular. Harry walked over and took the seat beside him, pushing the other out to Ron.

"Hi George." He said, trying to make his voice sound normal. He didn't expect him to respond but George's eyes moved over to look at him, and after a moment he responded.

"Good to see you again Harry."

"Yeah no problem."

"Charlie around?"

"I'm pretty sure he left."

George stayed quiet, contemplating the information.

"Yeah not surprised."

The statement wasn't bitter, only weary and slow like everything George was saying.

"Angelina was meant to come today." He stated after another silence.

"I've been seeing her around, she was here Monday wasn't she?"

George nodded.

"I got them to Floo her and ask her not to come, I didn't think I'd want to see anyone."

"Have you changed your mind?"

George shrugged.

"I suppose, but she'll come tomorrow to see me anyway and I don't think I'll be going back on the potions before then."

"But what about the charms?" Ron asked sounding a little worried.

"No I don't want any more cheering charms either Ron."

Ron was looking even more alarmed.

"What do you talk about with Angelina?" Harry asked George, steering away from medical talk. George pierced him with a look.

"Blast ended skrewts." He said sarcastically and Harry's heart sank. Of course he knew what, or whom they'd be talking about, he felt like an idiot.

"That was a joke." George said. "You're meant to laugh."

The room lit up a bit as the door opened and Molly came in with a sad smile on her face.

"I heard you talking?" She said, timidly walking over, hope toning her words.

"Yeah mum, I thought I should try it out again."

Mrs. Weasley came over and took his hand, squeezing it tightly.

George didn't seem up for much more talking; they sat in silence for a while longer until Harry decided it was best he leave as visiting hours were drawing to a close anyway.

Exiting the room he saw Charlie had returned, he was talking to Arthur a little way down the corridor, as they didn't notice him Harry walked on and went back to his room.

* * *

Everglade had him learning and working on some advanced Defense, Transfiguration and Charms work, it was meant to expend his magic that had been left to rot so it could replenish and become stronger and more under his control. He actually enjoyed it there was no structure or restraint on what he did, he'd even managed to transfigure three Shetland ponies out of Everglade's office chairs, the healer had quite a library of tomes and editions, some of which were quite rare, as his top priority patient Harry was allowed to take any back with him to study closer. Often he sat up at night, pouring over them and practicing on what ever he could. Unfortunately it wasn't all fun as part of healing his mind Everglade had Harry doing breathing and mind-clearing exercises that took him back to his occlumency days and a pleather of unpleasant memories.

He couldn't put them off forever and eight days in he decided to do the stupid meditation and incantations, slowing his breath and concentrating as he softly spoke he chants.

Regressing into his own mind reminded him he was alone. He never had to worry that Voldemort would sneakily creep back because they'd been connected and he would be able to feel it. It was the most calming thing about these sessions and the main reason he actually did them.

All of a sudden thoughts erupted into his mind, he had been getting good at keeping his mind blank but what was more was that these were no ordinary thoughts, they were horrific images of the war. Dumbledore being taken down by Snape, blasted out the window of the Astronomy Tower, Snape lying bleeding as pensive memories seeped from his eyes, the ghost of Lupin, Fenrir Greyback attacking students, Narcissa whispering into his ear, the Malfoy manor, Hermione's screams, Dobby dying in his arms.

He scrambled to his feet, panicked he paced around the room, if Voldemort was back, what could he do? They'd given him his wand back; he could just Arvada Kedavra himself, would that work? Fortunately his common sense returned to him and he realized exactly where the thoughts had come from, they were his own, they were just memories he'd been keeping repressed. With a sigh he sunk down onto his bed.

"I can't believe I was considering trying to Arvada Kedavra myself." He muttered to no one in particular, and then he chuckled.

"I'm going mad." He stated, crawling under the covers.

"Oh well, I'm in the right place for it."

He had wanted to go to sleep then but the slightly disturbing images had subsided and an even worse form of memory began. He remembered the first time he met Dobby, the pair of tennis ball eyes peering out from the shrubbery in Privet Drive. What an odd day that had been, a creature he'd never known to exist had begun stealing his mail and telling him he couldn't go back to Hogwarts. How on earth had a friendship grown out of that? Who would have known the little Elf would become something so indescribable, something so important. He still had those socks somewhere, the socks Dobby had knitted for him for Christmas, he'd never get anything else from him, and he'd never actually given him a real present in return. Dobby had deserved a real present, if anyone did.


	3. To Hogwarts

Disclaimer - The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books.

* * *

**August 24th **

Almost whole month had passed in the care of Mungo's and Harry felt sad that it was all coming to an end. Although the idea of making the hospital his permanent residence was simply ridiculous, George had improved enough to the point he'd been released with fortnightly check ups, and when Harry had arrived he'd been in a better place than George.

Rhys was the hardest to say goodbye to, they skipped the _chimeriation _and had lunch in the cafeteria.

"I'm going to miss you Wallowin."

Rhys kept the habit of calling Harry by his fake name, even in private.

"At least you'll still be catching up with Dante, I'll be able to bribe some information out of him."

"No need I'll owl you Rhys, I don't think I can go back to such a humorless existence after my stay here."

"Good to hear love, so will that make us friends?"

"Of course, aren't we friends already?"

"It's hard to tell when you work here, some people just like to leave and treat their whole experience like it never happened."

"Well I consider you a friend, we talk like friends."

"Brilliant! I'm rubbish at making friends I am, plus I was meaning to talk to you about something."

"What?"

"Well it's a bit of an obvious one but how long have you known?"

"Known what?"

"I don't have to spell it out do I love? Surely you've talked about it with Dante..."

Harry thought for a bit, was he talking about being a wizard? It was the only thing that came to mind.

"Since I was eleven I suppose, on my birthday actually."

"Really? That specific, what made you find out?"

Harry gave Rhys a confused look.

"Hagrid told me."

Rhys choked on his cider, grabbing a napkin to hold to his face.

"Blimey Harry, I don't think we're talking about the same thing."

"What were you talking about?"

"Never mind it's obvious I was wrong, you're oblivious!"

Harry pestered his friend to confess what he meant but Rhys was relentless, after a while he was called via a flying memo addressed to 'Mr. Thorn' for a staff meeting, cutting their goodbye short.

All Harry had left to do was go outside to wait. Healer Everglade had given him instructions from McGonagall, Harry was to take the shop-front exit into the muggle London street and make his way to the nearest corner where he was to stand with his wand out discretely with is right hand, pointed at the ground.

_There transportation will meet you, I am sending Kreature back to Grimmauld and he should be able to pack most your things for you, a job he seems quite eager to do since you freed the last Blacks. I am aware you will be short on things and will wish to bring more into your new living quarters but I am sure you will find you have adequate spare time which you can spend visiting Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley._

_Sincerely Headmistress McGonagall_

_PS. Your fair has been paid._

The note had read.

It wasn't to hard to follow, he expected the Knight bus would come by any minute, he was starting to feel foolish standing there in the formal dress-robes he'd worn to the trials. He wondered if he should move as a bright purple buggy came to a screeching halt in front of him, just as he began to edge away the driver's door flew open and a blonde witch leant out. She had to be in her thirties and in the latest fashion of Malkin's robes. She wore a fedora on her head and in her mouth was a silvery, glittery sort of gum that fizzed and popped as she chewed it.

"Come on Harry, Witch Way Cabs at your service!"

And at that she used a polished, white cane to tap the buggy's door and small lights lit up reading _Witch Way _as well as a little sign on top of the vehicle.

"Get in would ya, Min said you'd be nervous, nothing to worry about."

"I'm not nervous!" Harry protested as he went around the other side and slid in the passenger seat.

In one hand the witch held her cane, the other hand she held out to Harry to shake, this wouldn't have been an alarming move usually but as she did so the car turned its self on and tore down the street at full pelt.

"Um Miss…?"

" McGonagall." The witch offered

"What about her? Lookout!"

The witch nudged the wheel with her cane and they swerved away from a school children's crossing and down a side lane, over an empty park and back onto the highway.

"That's me!" She said smiling. "Miss McGonagall, Isobel McGonagall actually."

"What? Are you related to Professor McGonagall?"

"Of course silly." Isobel pulled out a map that she proceeded to unfold until it completely obstructed her view and Harry had to shut his eyes as they went through a round about.

"She's my aunt, my dad is her brother Malcolm. She has two brothers you know?"

"Oh."

"Oops wrong way!" Isobel did a full U-turn then took the first left. Harry sat back and closed his eyes.

"So you been in Mungo's then?"

"Sure have." Harry replied trying to breath.

"Brilliant, I thought so, you met Rhys right? He's a good mate of mine, he said he met you."

"Actually yeah, we became friends."

"Oh that's good Rhys is rubbish at making friends, we should all meet up some time."

"I'll hold you to that." Harry said, trying to smile and keep from vomiting simultaneously.

"Well he and I always get together whenever I'm in London and he can get time off from Dante. But I'm staying in Hogsmeade in two weeks for business."

Harry gave her a funny look, the witch wasted no time. He saw very little resemblance to the headmistress in her, she had a dizzy-ethereal look that McGonagall would never wear, then again he liked to think he was nothing like the Dursley's and understood that family didn't exactly guarantee resemblance. He also wondered how many other McGonagall's there were.

"Look I know, if you get any time off any tome soon, we'll catch up. I'll get Rhys to Floo in, Dante will have to let him, goodness knows the boy puts up with enough."

"It's a good idea and all…"

"Come on Harry, I bet you've never gone out before in your life, and don't think you can count student weekends to Hogsmeade I know how my aunt runs things, oh just wait for me and Rhys to take you to London, I bet all you've seen is Diagon Alley!"

"Actually I've been to Nocturne Alley."

"Ew even worse! Magical London does have a night life you know?"

"How come you're being so nice to me? We just met."

"Yes but my three favorite people in the world are my aunt, Dante and Rhys who just happen to be your guardian, healer and friend come on that has to be fate!"

"Did McGonagall tell you to look out for me?"

They seemed to be driving in a wide circle but Harry couldn't exactly see.

"She told me that under no circumstances was I to expose you to my rowdy friends and corrupt social life." Isobel said in a light voice, twirling her cane in her hands and no longer even feigning to pay attention to the road.

"Ah so it was fate then." Harry observed.

"You already know me so well." Isobel replied slamming still her breaks to reveal they were outside the Hogwarts grounds.

Harry realized he had a lot to ask her about McGonagall's background, having had the shock of discovering so much about Dumbledore after his death he couldn't help but wonder if the new headmistress' history was as painful and mysterious.

"You can ask me all about it when we catch up. You can owl right?"

Harry nodded, wondering if Isobel McGonagall was using some form of legilimency on him.

"Right, well you better hop to it, we've been driving in a circle for a while now and I can't have aunty cross at me."

The door Harry was sitting by opened automatically and a little silver carpet rolled out and onto the cobbled ground, tentatively he stepped out onto it. Isobel had gotten out too and gone round to the boot.

Petting the car she began muttering to it in tones that sounded an awful lot like an argument, inching closer he definitely heard snippets along the lines of…

"We've been through this before, you know I would have chosen you if you'd been up for it but we're here now I just need the luggage."

"Um…Isobel?"

"Just a minute Harry, I'm just working with the car."

Harry decided to keep away, Isobel leant in closer and whispered so quietly he could no longer hear, almost instantly the boot opened with a burst, letting out Harry's snitch which flung into the air then raced towards his head, circling about, he'd have to remember to thank Kreature.

"You've got quite a bit here." Isobel exclaimed as the boot spewed out case after case.

"Doesn't your house elf want you back home?"

"Actually I think this is his way of thanking me."

"What for?"

Harry watched yet another large case fall out.

"Long story." He sighed.

Isobel smiled, "Alright, they're still charmed with _featherweight_ but goodness knows how long it will last so I'll just put them on this."

Isobel pulled a long thin chain out of her pocket and wrapped it around the substantial pile of bags, deeper inside the same pocket she extracted a blank tag with a hole punched into it, she fastened it to the chain and pulled out a quill.

"Do you know what room you'll be in?" She asked and Harry shook his head.

"Ah well, I'll just put professor's lounge, someone will figure it out from there."

Quickly she scribbled down the two words in barely legible writing, stepping back the bags disappeared in a puff. Isobel smiled at him.

"Neat huh?"

Harry nodded, he really knew nothing about magic when it came down to it.

Isobel gave him a salute and headed back toward the buggy.

"I expect that owl from you Mr. Potter."

"No problem Miss. McGonagall." He replied as the young driver sped off with a toot of the horn. He sucked a deep breath in, so he was on his own again, he didn't really handle that very well, maybe he needed to talk to healer Everglade about it, maybe it was a side affect from being Voldemort's accidental Horcrux.

Or maybe he should just stop thinking, get inside Hogwarts and find out what he'd be doing. Off he headed through the gates, maybe he'd be grounds keeper?

* * *

Harry felt shock at how the reconstruction had changed the school. Already he could see the grounds around the walls were flatter, that the materials of the entrance hall although married to the rest of the building were different. The front door was new, a carved oak polished and adorned with a silver plaque, the size of a regular door, which Harry couldn't quite read. In any case he'd become distracted by the huge monument settled in the grass in front of the steps.

It was stone and shaped like a pillar, on top was a carved face, between a wand on one side and on the other a cauldron, underneath was the phrase _Semper Tueri._ Harry recognised the face and approached the memorial with a growing frenzy, he circled the memorial. There was one more face on the side facing the school with a wand on one side and a phoenix on the other the phrase _Semper Dirige _these weren't the only decorations. The sides bore patterns of the sigils of the four houses and the faces of the pillar had etched into them names, hundreds of names in alphabetical order, underneath the faces of the last two headmasters of Hogwarts, Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore. With a beating heart Harry searched through the names after a while he found Weasley, Fred, he whirled around the monument yet again. The names of the Bone's family were listed one after another and there was Creevey, Colin and a little above him Burbage, Charity.

"Potter?" He jumped back and peered around to see McGonagall walking over to him.

"What is it?" He asked her.

"It's a memorial. It came as a donation and has been built around Albus' Pensieve, it's a unique magic, would you like to see how it works?"

Harry nodded shortly.

"Find a name and reach your hand out to it."

He pressed his fingers against the name Colin Creevey, after a mere second, thoughts surged into his mind. Image after image of Colin's life at Hogwarts, before the war. Harry's mind came back to reality and he looked at McGonagall teetering between pain from the memories and happiness.

She smiled warmly.

"There are a lot of names here." Harry choked out. "I thought there were 54…"

"There are not only those killed in the battle of Hogwarts, this memorial names everyone we lost."

Harry scanned and saw Dumbledore, Albus, even Dobby, he pressed his hand to the House Elf's name with a smile, that smile vanished however when no memories came forth.

"There's nothing connected to Dobby's name." He told McGonagall.

"Well of course, people need to add the memories themselves, why don't you add one?"

"How?"

"Place your wand to your temple focusing on the particular memory and say _memoris extracta _you should feel it pulling out like a thread and it will seem like a silver wisp, then quickly hold it up to the name you're dedicating the memory to."

Harry knew just the memory he wanted to dedicate and quickly began to focus on the Christmas morning he and Ron spent with Dobby and the exchange of gifts. He felt the new socks and saw himself put them on, holding the wand up to his temple he said

"_Memoris extracta."_

Pulling out the memory, he opened his eyes to see the shiny silver wisp floating out the end of his wand, finding the name he held it up to it and it soaked in like water into soil.

"Excellent work." The headmistress commended.

She put a hand on his shoulder.

"Do you mind if I look at it?"

Harry shook his head and McGonagall pressed a finger on Dobby's name and closed her eyes after a few seconds she came out with a smile on her face.

"Beautiful choice Potter. Shall we go inside?"

Go inside they did and Harry was becoming increasingly aware of a growing feeling of relief and happiness. Thankfully the memories of the battle had not been enough to scar the other memories he held of Hogwarts, it was his home.

It was still a week before term and so no students were around, everything was clean and eerily empty, almost like the castle was sleeping, Harry liked it though, it was how he imagined it would be during summer.

"So headmistress..."

"Harry if you are not comfortable calling me Minerva by now then when will you be?"

"Sorry."

"First of all I see you got here in one piece, did you meet my niece or did she send an employee?"

"No, she came herself."

"Good. I never understood Isobel, so unlike Malcolm. Though I don't know what he expected naming her after our mother, we warned him against it."

Harry was grinning.

"Oh no! She's got to you hasn't she?"

McGonagall began walking past the great hall and up the main staircase and Harry followed her.

"I thought this time having a talk to her would work but it seems she hasn't matured as I'd hoped."

Harry went to ask again what he'd meant to.

"Oh you're wondering what you'll be doing?"

Harry nodded, he was certain they weren't using legilimency, maybe it was a McGonagall trait, predicting people's thoughts and intentions.

"I assumed since you hadn't applied to re-do your seventh year you weren't planning on studying?"

On reaching the first floor they began walking down the central-most corridor.

"I suppose not."

"If you've changed your mind I can still enroll you in NEWTs, I can even organize private tutelage if that's what you want?"

"No, I don't think it's what I want to do."

"Yes I suppose you figured they're unnecessary with all the free passes the ministry's handing out."

Harry felt a surge of guilt.

"Nonetheless I predicted this and as it so happens I have an opening on my staff you'll be perfect for."

"Really?"

Harry knew it was impossible to become a professor without at least E's in many NEWT subjects, perhaps this did mean he'd be grounds keeper, he couldn't exactly say no.

"Of course you need training, we'll make do with what little time we've got, a week though you'll just be working with first years but there are safety courses you needed to get through and we need you to get your license from the ministry.

"All in a week?"

"We are magic Harry, paperwork's not exactly a hurdle."

Harry's mind ticked over, working with first years, did that mean?

"Good thing you've got your experience captaining Quidditch, if Severus could umpire a match Merlin knows you can, it's the classes I'm worried about, giving jittery eleven year olds flying contraptions never ends well."

"So does that mean I'll be Flying Professor?"

"Of course, did you think I was going to make you grounds keeper? Please Harry we'd never get you good enough to replace Grawp, besides you're much too delicate."

Gaping Harry was barely able to stop himself from saying _excuse me? _

"Madam Hooch will be retired but she's come back for this week to help you get started, I expect you to use her time well and keep up, it's the difference between a student in the hospital wing and a student in Mungo's, do you understand?"

"Of course…Minerva?"

"Yes, just go back to calling me McGonagall, there's a good boy."

They'd turned into a corridor with only one set of double doors down it Harry believed was the professor's lounge, he had a plan to enter it, re-apply the featherweight charm to his luggage and take it to wherever McGonagall told him his new quarters would be.

However his head emptied of all plans as the doors opened pre-maturely by somebody exiting. Not just somebody but Draco Malfoy.

A series of absurd thoughts rushed through his mind; most prominent after he was there to kill him, was the notion that Malfoy was there to see him to thank him for the trials. The thought made him wonder how he should respond, he was already embarrassed before the blonde walked past swiftly as if nothing was unusual, Harry looked to McGonagall for support.

"What?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow, ignoring Harry's obvious confusion, she opened the professor's lounge for him and held the door so he could go inside.

It was brilliant; of course he didn't know why he hadn't expected it. They weren't in a tower but more of a wing, large open alcoves lined each side of the rooms, walled with bookshelves, in each were large leather couches and chairs surrounding identical polished coffee tables laden with tea sets, coffee and scones. The floors were burgundy and carpeted and on top of that there were rugs. Directly opposite Harry, continuously down the parade of seating areas was a glass wall looking out over the forbidden forest, it was however made of many windows, some tinted and conveying imagery of different magical races, the largest however was in the middle and was the symbol of the deathly hallows, it reminded him of an eye, looking back at him. As McGonagall walked into the room, toward the glass wall Harry noticed that at intervals there were stone steps descending to a lower floor or doors leading out. Also all around were floating lanterns made of stained green glass that were not yet lighted.

Passing the second alcove McGonagall stopped, already sitting in there, drinking steaming coffee was Madame Hooch. She placed her mug down and gave them a smile, they entered and took seats, McGonagall on the couch and Harry in a spindly armchair that was surprisingly comfortable.

The Prophet entered his line of sight and without thinking he looked the front page over. There he was! The picture was an outdated one so he was a few years younger, outside Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlor.

BOY WHO LIVED TWICE, IS HE ENGAGED?

Harry was holding a sundae in one hand and a card in the other which could have been anything. The photo's eyes were looking to the left of the photographer and he was speaking, pausing once in a while to listen. Without giving it much thought Harry whipped out his wand and pointed it at the paper.

_"Confringo"_

The paper erupted into a small fire that curled and smoldered away within seconds. It gave him a sense of calm to see the pile of ash and he almost smiled and would have had it not been for McGonagall's face, remembering where he was he began to panic.

"I didn't think." He told her.

The headmistress cleared her throat, throwing him a startled look.

"Best not do that again." She warned him, moving off to go to her office.

Madam Hooch gave the headmistress a look that revealed that she thought Harry was deranged.

Really there was nothing for Harry to do but smile sheepishly, shifting in the armchair.

"So what am I dealing with here? Harry, how much experience have you got?"

"With flying?"

"With teaching, try to keep up, flying is one thing I know you can do, it's keeping a group of magical eleven year olds alive that requires skill."

Harry shrugged, reaching for the tea.

"I don't have any really."

He took a sip whilst they waited for him to continue. "I suppose I'll learn…"

"Harry! Don't be so modest, you have the DA."

Harry was picking up that he needed to perhaps settle the ex-Flying professor's nerves on him replacing her.

"Oh yes, I taught some defense classes in fifth and sixth year, but there weren't any first years."

"That's very different Harry, I know about the DA but you were teaching a group of adolescents who wanted to learn and had motivation to do so. What you're dealing with now are young children, terrified, some didn't know what they were a year ago and there is _always _one who when on a broom will become a destructive weapon to both themselves and the others, understand me? ALWAYS ONE."

Harry couldn't help but think of Neville straight away, at that time in his first year Madame Hooch had been an experienced and accomplished professor and yet such a disaster had happened. How many seconds exactly had past until he and Malfoy had jumped on their brooms and shot up into the air, confident as Crumps. He was definitely not leaving his class alone.

"Ok I can see your starting to get this." Hooch commented and Harry realized some of his queasiness was probably showing on his face as he clutched the full teacup.

"Your first lesson is that one of your students will fall and when I say one I mean at _least_ one. You just can't prevent that, whether you do your job properly will decide if the child survives and how badly they're injured."

"I understand." Harry replied, beginning to feel frightened.

"So how do I do that?"

"Firstly, eyes of a hawk, it will help with your umpiring, you need to watch their faces and pick out the ones that will give you trouble, they're the ones that look a bit guilty, secondly keep your own broom in hand, don't put it down or let it float away for anything, repeat this to me."

"Watch everything, don't lose my broom."

"…Close enough, thirdly never leave a student alone with a broom, not even if you have an injured student, if you need to take them to the hospital wing take the class with you, you can't trust the threat of expulsion to keep them grounded…apparently."

Harry thought he could allow for a guilty smile but judging by Hooch's sharp look he could not.

"Look I'm going to have to show you anyway we might as well head out if you're not going to finish that." She said nodding at his tea.

Harry put it down.

"That's all very good Rolanda but I must show Harry to his living quarters first." McGonagall informed and Hooch gave a stern nod.

"I'll go out ahead of you, we'll meet at the pitch."

"Yeah, alright then."

Hooch stood, gave each a small bow and stalked off out of the staff lounge. Harry made to stand up as well but McGonagall stopped him.

"Just rest for a moment."

"No I'm all right."

"I know what you think you are but I have orders from healers and in my experience it's best not to disobey healers."

Harry nodded; sinking back into the chair, in his experience it was best not to disobey McGonagall. The old headmistress grabbed a scone, pulling it open to release a curl of steam and applying a generous helping of thickened cream. Harry, not quite feeling hungry reached back for his tea and was pleasantly surprised to find it had re-warmed itself. They sat in silence, and Harry did feel himself relax, perhaps it was the tea's scent as he reached the dregs or the fact a light shower had begun outside, creating a glorious cascade down the glass wall. He just felt a certain glow of happiness and didn't even realize he wasn't thinking of the war, or Voldemort or the deaths or even Ginny, no Hedwig or Dobby or Snape rested on his conscience it was if it never happened. That was until the thought _did _occur to him that he hadn't thought about any of it and then it all fell on top of him like and ice-cold, crushing, avalanche. The empty teacup slipped from his fingers and he let his head drop down. A tentative hand patted him awkwardly on the shoulder; he looked up to see McGonagall pale and face drawn.

"You'll be okay Harry." Her voice was un-McGonagall, a little motherly. It reminded Harry of Isobel and the questions he'd wanted to ask about her aunt.

"Thanks." He said, giving a weak smile, it probably wasn't the time to go into histories. McGonagall stood and so did he, walking out of the alcove he saw that behind them, toward the entrance, his luggage had arrived. He followed McGonagall toward it, prepared to use featherweight but the headmistress beat him to it, transfiguring the pile into a pale pink silk shoulder bag. She past it to Harry and he hesitantly took it. He swore that the old witch was struggling to hide a smile as she past it to him before leading them back into the lounge, toward the glass wall. Eventually they past the alcove they'd been sitting in earlier and a few more along there was a dark stone door indented deep into the wall, it was strangely smooth. Harry had been sure the doors he'd seen were textured, blending into the rough castle walls.

"Hold your wand to it." McGonagall instructed. Reaching around the silk bag Harry managed to extract his wand and point it at the door.

"Touch the tip to the stone." She elaborated and Harry moved it closer. Like a tapestry unrolling a carving appeared of a wizard with a likeness of Harry on a broom, the carving moved a little way with the wizard's hair rustling as an intricate country side past by underneath. Harry smiled, Flying professor's quarters, of course.

"You can set the password using _signus terato _and the basic left to right zigzag motion then say the password you choose somewhere where the room can hear you."

McGonagall paused until Harry looked away from the door and gave her his attention.

"There's a doorbell that should appear after this, if you ring it a house elf will come to open the door."

"What for?"

"For when you forget the password." She said with a quirk of her lips.

"For now it's Pegasus."

The door didn't swing but slid, into the floor and created a threshold which Harry and McGonagall stepped across. Inside was a long corridor of a similar stone and a floor laden with an ivy-patterned carpet. The end of the corridor opened into an almost circular room, broken by two spiraling staircases on opposite sides. Between them was a stained glass window made of different colored diamonds that gave the room a warm glow and left a pattern on the cream carpet. Inset into the left of the room was a large marble fireplace with a huge bronze urn of Floo-powder above it, which was plain due to the word 'FLOO' being engraved on it. The right side had shelves carved into it, Harry assumed for books and other artifacts. On the floor was an oak table with four cushioned chairs; they were green corduroy and matched the settee and armchairs in front of the fire. There was also matching oak coffee tables and bookstalls with grey marble surfaces that matched the fire. Harry put down the pink bag and looked around, a little overwhelmed.

"Look around." McGonagall instructed him.

Bounding up the left set of stairs he found a bathroom tiled in pearl with peacock mosaics and a bath in the floor in the middle of the room. He ran back down the steps and then up the right ones. There was a king four-poster sheeted in indigo, a black rug on the stone floor under it, a large Oak wardrobe carved with wattle and two tapestries, one an intricate map of constellations and the other an action shot of the 1701 Quidditch world cup. Under the arched window was a desk with a self-filling inkwell and quill. It was simple and Harry liked it best of all, to be honest the bathroom was a little extravagant and pompous, he supposed it wouldn't matter if no one else saw it. Slower and with a grin on his face he made his way back to the main room where McGonagall was waiting.

"Do all the teachers live in luxury like this?" He asked her

"It's not exactly luxury Potter, though I agree it's one of the nicer ones."

She transfigured the bag back into Harry's luggage.

"You best unpack it so everything goes where you want."

Harry walked toward the trunks and made to open them.

"Harry!"

He looked up startled.

"I will remind you this once that you are a wizard."

"_Eximo Expedio." _He said abruptly, and with an unprecedented amount of force the trunks shot open, in a blink they were empty as numerous slams from around the apartment and up the stairs sounded and books teetered on the room's shelves.

"For Godric's sake Potter, promise me you'll never neglect your magic again?"

"Yes, sorry, I promise."

"Let's get going I daresay Rolanda has waited long enough."

Before they left the quarters McGonagall cast a quick tempest and to Harry's surprise cursed out loud.

"I actually have to be elsewhere." She informed him.

"You'll have to find your own way to the Quidditch pitch this time around. When you can write an address on some parchment and throw it in the fireplace with a bit of powder, it will connect you to it but you just wont be able to travel anywhere else besides Mungo's and the Ministry of course."

"Thanks."

"I'll see you in the Little Hall, just get someone to show you where it is."

She made to walk off but stopped to add.

"Mr. Malfoy's here also, every ounce of me believes you won't cross paths but should the inevitable happen as my ward I hold you entirely responsible for whatever mishaps may occur."

"Yes, no I have no-"

"Goodbye." And with that she was down the corridor and gone. Harry left the room after her and there was no sight of her.


	4. The Little Hall

A/N - Okay so another chapter of character development really, I would apologise but to be honest if Harry and Draco jumped straight into it, it wouldn't be very believable. Right now I'm editing like a mad woman trying to get these chapters to make sense before I post them. No I'm not writing any new chapters yet and I don't plan to unless the ones I've written get a good response and since I've got a few followers that's looking good.

Disclaimer - The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books.

* * *

Harry managed to make it out of the first floor teacher's lounge and out into the cold drizzle.

Whatever he'd been expecting for his first day of training hadn't come near the grueling all-day experience. It had taken almost two hours only on disabling and replacing the security charms on and around the broom shed. The rain had decided to pelt down during the practical instruction and so by the time the sun had set Harry was shivering and drenched through.

Hooch had given him a stiff farewell as she finally hurried off to catch the last train out of Hogsmeade. Though by now the rain had stopped, a menacing breeze was storming through the Forbidden Forest and thunder boomed from overhead.

Harry was feeling the absence of company as he quickened his pace toward the school. His whole body felt unbearably tired and his stomach growled in time to the monstrous weather.

"_Lumos."_

The wand tip didn't make much difference, holding it to the soggy ground he could only see a little way in front of himself and by no means wished to slow down enough for it to be of any use, it was only by some miracle he had yet to fall over.

Howling, the wind picked up, throwing the first shards of a new shower at him through the dark. He moved into a jog, focusing on the warm glow of the many Hogwart's windows.

Finally the reached the light as he came into sight of the front door, stomach now rumbling in rhythm. Since becoming acquainted with food again he didn't fare well missing any meals. He needed to find this new place McGonagall mentioned and quickly, which meant he needed to find another professor. It wouldn't be any good for him to go back to his quarters and hope Kreature had packed his map. McGonagall would question how he'd found his way on his own, beside the point, he'd never actually _seen _the Little Hall on the map, which lead him to believe it was expertly hidden. Under shelter of the stone memorial's marquis Harry shook off. Suddenly his nerves jolted as he realized he wasn't alone.

He calmed down as he figured the figure wasn't an enemy, the only other people in Hogwarts were the professor's and that was exactly who he was looking for.

"Evening." He held up his wand to light to the other person but they were further away now, walking to the castle, Harry headed after them.

"Hello! Sorry, I just need a minute…"

He froze, the figure had turned to face him but he'd already seen whom it was. The light had hit the perfectly _impervius _charmed hair, revealing aristocratic white-blond that was unmistakable. Harry tried to say sorry but nothing came out.

Malfoy was looking at him as if he was insane, and he would be insane had he been talking to Malfoy on purpose.

Again he tried to apologize, opening his mouth to make a choking sound, and then quickly closing it again.

Malfoy cleared his throat and spoke calmly. "A minute for what exactly Potter?"

"I'm sorry." Harry blurted, oh crap now what did Malfoy think he was apologizing for?

"I mean-"

Malfoy was beginning to look pissed and McGonagall's words of warning crept back with each shade his face darkened.

"Uh, I mean sorry for stopping you."

Malfoy looked up at the castle, then back to Harry.

_This is where he kills me. _Harry thought.

"You need escorting to the Little Hall?" Malfoy asked with a sigh.

"How did you know?"

The blond shook his head and began to walk regally toward the front entrance.

"Follow me or stay out here and get struck by lightning."

Harry hurried after Malfoy quicker than necessary as somehow when he'd said 'lighting' a bolt of the stuff had cracked across the sky.

Malfoy glanced at Potter whose hair hung like a wet mop and made him look like a drowned pigmy puff. The paleness of his skin made the blasted scar stand out, the scar that reminded Draco exactly who he was escorting and caused his blood to run hot.

Harry sensed the animosity and backed off, he didn't feel comfortable around Malfoy and probably never would, he could never condone Malfoy's beliefs and he knew the other wizard would never forgive him anyway, as they walked on Harry realized his appearance at the trials had probably made things all the worse.

It must have been all the blonde could do not to curse Harry, the Malfoy was doing what he could to survive as all the smart purebloods would, that wouldn't change them on the inside though.

The front doors opened and they walked inside. By now Harry was regretting running into Malfoy with all his being, not only was the silence painful but he had questions about where they were going he'd be able to ask anyone else. And not forgetting the feeling of his presence being resented brought back his child hood memories and that just depressed him.

Malfoy cleared his throat and Harry looked to see a pained expression on his face.

"You'll need to know about the room…for the rest of the staff meetings." He stated in a voice that conveyed indifference.

"The little Hall?" Harry confirmed, "Um I've never heard of it before actually, I didn't know it existed."

Draco kept looking forward as if there was no way he'd acknowledge what he was doing.

"You haven't heard of the age of builders?"

Harry shook his head.

"So you know nothing about the height of wiziarchitectural magic and the first renovations of Hogwarts?"

Harry didn't respond.

"You should learn this." He spat out and Harry dropped back with his momentary shock. Then he realized, he didn't know these things because he'd been raised by muggles.

They'd made it up a set of marble stairs across the Great Hall; Harry hadn't failed to notice they had been hidden behind an alcove.

They were walking down a hall toward the lounge and Malfoy jabbed his finger at a polished silver plaque, placed between two empty paintings. At first it seemed like any ordinary wall ornament decorating the walls of Hogwarts but then harry figured he should read it.

_The Professor's Floor was built by the Munitoria in the age of Aedificatoria in the year 1872 with the finest Aedificatoria Magik, only those with the privilege of providing services to the school should be introduced to the many wonders of the floor and upon induction will find the space and utilities to aid their era of students to the utmost._

It raised new questions; Harry's mind did gymnastics as he tried to figure what was going on, so the floor was constructed differently to the rest of the school, like it had been renovated.

"How does the…Aedif-ica-toria magic hide the floor?"

"It doesn't _hide _the floor, it just wraps it in upon itself so it takes up a small amount of space."

Malfoy shook his head as they re-commenced walking.

Harry had the deepest feeling that he'd missed the point.

"So the Little hall will be all wrapped up with the teacher's lounge and living quarters?"

"Yes, if your mind could take it I would explain to you how my quarters are simultaneously connected to my office in the dungeons and the lounge and how you probably have some sad office in the towers you'll have access to but I'm afraid you might faint again."

Harry blushed, how was he meant to know these things? It wasn't just that he'd been raised by muggles but he'd had to do the best he could with the war and Voldemort's looming threat over his life and that in fact was Malfoy's pureblood-supremacy's fault.

He thought over the plaque some more, he thought he understood, the magic on the floor was unique and complicated, giving the teachers a large space that was only accessible by them and gave them quick, easy access to the rest of the castle. What else was there? Was it about the age of builders in particular? Was it the year? 1870-something what was it about the 17th century, something about that era seemed familiar but Harry needed to look it up.

"Is there anything more about the Hall in particular?" Harry asked "Is it used like a conference room?"

Malfoy gave him a look that suggested he should shut up.

"It's less the room then what's in it and yes it's like a _conference room_."

Harry figured 'conference room' was probably a bit muggle and felt even more embarrassed, in fact this level of embarrassment was beginning to border on unnatural, it was probably the fact he still expected Malfoy to curse him.

They reached the doors of the teacher's lounge and Malfoy opened it to show a hexagonal room that was walled with doors and stairs Harry recognized from the Lounge, his own was there but they weren't staying still, slowly they shifted sideways so one door might me replaced with a staircase and re-appear on the other side of the room or disappear completely. It was exactly like the spinning room in the Ministry and Harry decided it must have been the same building magic.

Malfoy had pulled out his wand with a scowl.

"Black Atrium." He told the spinning room, the movement stopped but then recommenced. Malfoy put his wand away, a polished ebony device with a pretty gold design; it was too feminine for the wizard.

"You'll need to do it." Malfoy told him angrily.

"Why?"

"Well _Potter _my aunt's wand has decided to be extra temperamental today, it seems it gets worse the longer it's been since she was killed."

"But why don't you just use your…oh."

Harry realized what he was about to say and so had Malfoy, the blonde was murderous, Bellatrix's wand had come back out and pointed at Harry's throat. With effort Malfoy lowered his arm.

"Just do it."

Quickly Harry pointed his own holly with phoenix feather and repeated the demand "Black Atrium"

The spinning stopped and all doors and staircases disappeared, except one made of polished wood. Without looking at him Draco went in ahead and Harry decided to follow at a distance. Did he even still have Malfoy's wand? He must have, he hoped he hadn't allowed himself to lose something like that. He needed to find out if Kreature had packed it and if it hadn't been he needed to go back to Grimmauld to get it. It wasn't like he thought it was a good idea to re-arm the acquitted death eater but it was the right thing to do and Malfoy seemed creative enough to find other ways to kill him.

Inside everyone else was already seated and staring at them in utter shock, mouths open, eyebrows at their hairline. A magnificent table that was pure black took up most the high-ceiled room; Harry noticed it seemed made of glass molded into little details and shapes. Around it were high-backed chairs made of iron, Harry needed to find an empty one, Malfoy already had, the only one left it seemed was one furthest away, next to McGonagall at the head. Rushing he made it around, the chair slid out by itself and Harry sat in it.

"How nice for you to join us." McGonagall reprimanded.

"I do believe that under the school's employment that acting like students will cease. Others have managed it."

At this point Harry noticed Neville seated next to Professor Sprout and he gave Harry a small, awkward wave. Harry waved back and received a deadly glare from the headmistress.

"I thought I told you to keep away from Mr. Malfoy." She hissed in a whisper. Harry looked at her apologetically but she gave him no time to explain.

"Never changes." She muttered before turning to the staff.

"Wands out please and we'll commence."

There was a clatter as everyone put their wands on the glass table, Harry went to glance at Bellatrix's again and noticed Malfoy was already glaring at him, quickly he looked away.

"For our first staff meeting before the start of term I'll run through the staff positions and who will be filling them, due to complications and many unprecedented circumstances we have ended up with dual holds in some of our positions, such as we have already experienced in Divination. There are also new faces and I hope those familiar with the school will be able to help these colleagues with learning our system."

Harry looked around and became shocked by the amount new faces, he was even more shocked to see Luna, at first he thought she was looking back at him but them he realized she was staring at a spot above his head. Unable to stop himself he looked up too and saw nothing.

"Replacing myself in the teaching of transfiguration is the renowned transfiguration master Genevieve Nightingale." An extremely attractive woman bowed her head and Harry's heart stopped; he wondered how he had not noticed her when he entered with Malfoy. She was young for a master, still in her twenties by the looks of her fresh, olive skin and lustrous black hair. Bright blue eyes sparkled and she winked. Harry's heart picked up pace again, was that at him?

"Miss Nightingale is the youngest to master transfiguration, it is an honor to have you teaching here Genevieve." McGonagall stated.

"Also a new face to some of us is Dorian Grossly, Dorian I believe you'll not be as much a celebrity with our staff as you will be with the students."

A handsome chap chuckled at this, he was middle-aged with greying temples but the rest of his hair was a thick brown and framed his chiseled face.

"You know me Minerva, I couldn't care less."

His voice was as rich as his laugh and he flashed a warm smile around the table.

"Dorian's our new defense against the dark arts professor and I must say will be the first competent one we've had in a while. You've had experience in the Salem Witch institute haven't you?"

"You could call ten years as their NEWT's professor experience Minerva, but I think I'll get by here."

McGonagall gave a small smile.

"Returning to us for his place as Charms professor and head of Ravenclaw house will be professor Flitwick, don't be causing me too much trouble Filius."

"Try and stop me Minerva."

"We have arrangements within potions this year, Horace Slughorn who can't be here until term commencement will be new head of Slytherin house, replacing the late Headmaster Snape, he'll also take on NEWT level potions classes, helping his workload we will have Draco Malfoy who has completed his NEWTS with near perfect scores." This last statement she said sharply and with a meaningful glare.

"Also in the school will be highly acclaimed Swedish Witch Maligna Winesap who is here to complete Malfoy's mastery training he was receiving from professor Snape."

Everyone was quiet, except for Luna who was humming.

"Professor Rubeus Hagrid is continuing on with care of magical creatures and I'm pleased to add Grawp, who we've come to know and trust will be assisting him whilst acting as grounds keeper."

The giant wasn't present of course but Hagrid was, for once supported on his large iron chair.

"Unfortunately Sibil has decided to leave us to further her career and so Firenze will be taking full-time place of Divination."

The centaur was there, standing by the table in between Dorian Grossly and Arthur Weasley; Harry figured the Aedificatoria magic was something to do with how he was able to get to the first floor.

"Professor Sinstra is returning as Astronomy professor, Professor Babbling to ancient Runes, Professor Vector to Arithmancy and the late professor Binns to the History of Magic."

Harry had seen these professors before and had been in professor Sinstra's classes but now he'd need to get to know them as colleagues.

"Professor Sprout will be remaining in her position as head of Hufflepuff and Herbology Professor, however this will be her last year."

There were sad remarks made from around the table.

"For this year she will be taking on an apprentice, ex-student Neville Longbottom."

Everyone looked at Neville who gave an uncomfortable smile.

"And lastly we have Muggle studies professor Arthur Weasley."

Harry grinned at the Weasley father who was absolutely beaming with joy.

"He has also agreed to take up the responsibility as head of Gryffindor house, having been an outstanding member in his school days."

"I think my children have far surpassed me Minerva."

"No doubt due to example Arthur."

It seemed a queue to begin idle chatter as Sprout quickly turned and introduced herself to Nightingale, Harry wanted to talk to Neville but he was engaged with Arthur and Firenze. Unfortunately for Harry, he was in between McGonagall and Binns and the ghost was shutting out the room to go over what looked like class plans, Harry was sure though that Binns hadn't needed to change those since he was alive. Next to Binns was Luna; Harry wondered why she hadn't been introduced and on that note, what she was even doing there.

"Luna." Calling her name failed to get her attention so Harry cleared his throat and tried again.

"Luna!"

She looked over, startled to see he was there.

"Oh hello Harry, did you enjoy the rain?"

Harry realized he was still damp.

"It was a bit cold actually."

"I find it's best to stay out of showers in this season, it's prime for Mokes, I know they're rare but you can find them here once in a while."

Harry's mind clicked, he'd heard of a Moke before, there was something familiar about that word.

"Harry knows about Mokes, don't ya Harry?" Hagrid asked from across the table, then he said to Luna.

"I got 'im a wallet made o' their skin fer his birthday din' I?"

"Oh yeah he did, it's brilliant." Harry remarked remembering the birthday gift from the previous year, a wallet that shrank if a stranger tried to pick it up, he needed to find it.

So it seemed Luna was finally talking about creatures that existed. The girl began talking to Hagrid more about Mokes and the fact she had seemed to have discovered a new strain that were bearing characteristics of dragons.

"Headmistress?"

Harry could have kicked himself as the polite conversation all but ceased and the professors turned their attention on to him and McGonagall.

"Yes, Potter?"

Harry blushed, he'd been about to ask why Luna was there but in the new situation it didn't seem right, he also didn't see how he could blow it off without seeming childish.

Dropping his voice to a near whisper he asked.

"Are, are you going to introduce Luna?"

McGonagall pierced him with a sharp look.

"And not Filch or Madam Prince?"

Argus Filch was sitting down the other end of the table near where Malfoy had taken a seat and had been looking around with a morose expression; he looked up sharply as soon as his name had been uttered.

"Luna found her way in here on the start of her third year and has attended meetings as she pleases, this is the first pre-term meeting she's showed up to."

Harry processed the information.

"But how on earth could she get by the Aedificatoria magic?"

"When on earth did _you_ start paying attention?"

Several of the Hogwart's staff chuckled including Arthur. Reminding Harry that he was in a professional setting.

"I thought at first that a Nargle had used it's thief magic to let me through…"

Luna commented from her seat, she didn't complete the sentence and Harry wondered whether she had intended to.

"It wasn't?"

"Oh no, there are no Nargles in Hogwarts, they really only infest small rooms that are rarely frequented, I find they prefer shops that sell hats, wigs and laundry detergent."

Harry felt a bit off, the way she talked about Nargles was as if they were a known phenomenon.

"Sorry Luna but was a Nargle discovered?"

"Oh yes!" She smiled "You can read about it in the Prophet."

At this point Arthur interrupted.

"But it was the Quibbler that wrote the real expose, you should send Harry a copy Luna."

She gave a little nod.

"I suppose but it wont do him much good if the Wackspurts don't let him pay attention."

"Wackspurts?"

"Yes, I can't be sure because I don't have my glasses but your infestation seems recent, who did you walk here with? Didn't you come in with Malfoy? That would explain it."

Harry wished Luna would shut up all of a sudden.

"Yes you should really read the article Harry, the Quibbler's becoming increasingly popular, the Department of Magical Beast protection was able to classify them as a known endangered and magical species and apply those they found with a trace so any witch or wizard who harms one will be immediately indicted."

"I came up with the charm myself." Professor Flitwick piped up from halfway down the table. "Charlie's been doing an excellent job Arthur, you must be proud."

Arthur beamed.

"Charlie's working at the ministry?"

Arthur nodded.

"Head of the department, they've been working non stop investigating the Gringott's vaults, they found the goblins had caught a new dragon."

"Oh no!" Said Firenze, looking over from his conversation.

"What kind was it?" Hagrid asked.

"Another Opaleye." Arthur informed. "And this one just a hatchling, seemed they were going to train it."

"Makes me sick." Hagrid growled

"Dinner?" McGonagall asked

Suits of armor that had stood idly by the walls placed silver plates down in front of them, in seconds food began to appear and drink began being passed around, coming from Godrick knows where.

"Were we going to discuss school business?"

"We already have." Binns said icily from beside him, looking disdainfully at the food.

Harry had to admit that the potatoes he had grabbed had a beautiful golden glisten; he was going to stop himself from seizing some thick crackling but the ghost left, whooshing through the wall behind them.

"Yes you may be excused Professor Binns." McGonagall called after him.

"Could you pass me some of that?" The woman asked from across the table, Harry stopped and past the best bit of crackling he'd picked up for himself, to the stranger.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Potter, do you have much interest in transfiguration?"

Harry felt offended by the headmistress' snort of laughter.

"Not really."

Nightingale's eyes flashed and she gave out a laugh that sounded like music; Harry's heart beat a little faster again, making his face heat up.

"Well I've always adored honesty. How long are you planning on staying?"

"Until Mungo's gives me the all-clear."

She laughed again as McGonagall choked on the soup she'd been sipping, Harry smiled as he realized Nightingale thought he was joking.

He felt eyes on him and noticed Malfoy had directed another glare at him, the blonde was next to the foot of the table, by Filch who was opposite McGonagall, on his left was the blond witch, Malia-something, whom McGonagall had introduced as his mentor, a potions master. Harry didn't like her, she was older than professor Nightingale but in many ways just as pretty, only her prettiness had coldness about it. Instead of glaring at Malfoy Harry feigned a look with the perfect blend of surprise, subtle hurt and a hint of disappointment, to his astonishment it worked, the blond quickly schooled his own looks and became rather embarrassed with himself, looking down at his untouched dinner.

Nightingale asked him a question about Quidditch and Harry turned back to her as if nothing had happened, he could almost imagine what was going on in his old rival's head. _Bloody Harry Potter, being more mature than me, I know we're not school rivals anymore, it's not like I was glaring at him, I didn't even realize what I was looking at! How dare he be high and mighty! Blah blah blah._

Harry smiled at his inner musings and Nightingale who was gushing about Gwenog Jones paused to throw him a funny look.

"Sorry." Harry said, dropping the smile. "I suppose she's a good captain, what did you think of her Luna?"

"I agree with Hermione." Luna said, midway her conversation with Hagrid, which confused the half-giant who wondered what Hermione had said about the crumple-horned snorlack.

"You've met her?" Nightingale asked, raising a manicured eyebrow.

Harry nodded, chewing some potato.

"What's she like."

"Full of herself." Luna and Harry said together, throwing Hagrid into confusion again and making Nightingale blush.

"Sorry." Harry said again and Nightingale shook her head.

"No, it's alright, as I said, honesty."

Harry smiled and finished eating his dinner. An assortment of cheeses and finger cakes had been supplied for desert before McGonagall excused herself to bed and everyone left soon after with minimal lingering.

Harry on leaving the room remembered briefly something Malfoy had said.

"It's not the room, it's what's in it."

Quickly he looked around for another plaque or sign but found none. He looked at who was filing out of the room and figured his best bet was Flitwick.

"Professor?"

Everyone turned around.

"Er, Flitwick?"

"Yes dear boy?"

"What's special about this room?"

"Nothing despite the Aedificatoria magic, that whole era was special."

"Then what about what's in it?"

"You mean the table?"

Harry nodded, he supposed that had to be it.

"Oh well that's the Black-Fang table." Began Flitwick with an excited squeak. "They built it during the longest allegiance between Wizarding families and non-Wizarding communities, of course it was before Newt Scamander's time so the definitions of beast and being weren't clear cut."

"So it's a non-wizarding creation?"

"Yes it was a joint effort of Vampires, Goblins and Wizard craftsmen, and donated to the headmaster of the time whose family financed this whole floor and the table."

Harry was trying to remember the year, 1870-something. He paled, he knew that year and he knew that headmaster. The least popular headmaster the school had ever had, rumoured to have banned muggle borns from enrolling. Phineas Nigellus Black.

* * *

Harry didn't need to make it all the way back to the lounge entrance, his doors appeared in front of him, with a feeling of doom he realized he'd already forgotten his password. Tiredly ringing the bell he waited for a House Elf to appear.

"Good, evening, I hope I didn't wake you, I seem to have forgotten my password."

The Elf backed away.

"You needs to be proving you are Harry Potter sir."

Harry became painfully reminded of Dobby, he just wanted to get inside and go to bed, closing his eyes and taking a breath he asked.

"How?"

"You be showing Tippy your wand."

Harry pulled out his wand and went to pass it to the elf who backed away until it was against the furthest wall.

"That's Okay, your password is Pegasus."

The memory of it came back to Harry as the Elf abruptly vanished.

"Pegasus." He told the door and it opened.


	5. Malfoy's Wand

A/N - So I wasn't bothered with the spelling/grammar of this chapter much because I had to change the content. Basically this is the start of the H/D relationship although they don't know it.

* * *

Walking through the door Harry wasted no time. Summoning a quill and parchment he scribbled _12 Grimmauld Place _onto it.

The day had been eventful, as he supposed every day would now he was out of Mungo's. Walking to the fireplace he cast _Incendio.  
_The fire lit up and Harry through in some Floo powder, followed by the parchment which dissolved amongst the green flames. Dropping to his knees Harry stuck his head in before the flames ran out.

"KREACHER!"

There was a grunt from somewhere in the depressing house followed by padding footsteps. The squat old house elf appeared at the door to the kitchen. On spotting Harry he quickly waddled over and bowed deeply to his disembodied head.

"Master Potter Sir, it is an honour seeing you here again, Sir." Kreacher proclaimed, his nose still pointed at the floor.

"Kreacher, when I arrived at the house, did I have two wands with me?" Harry asked, hoping he hadn't left it at the Weasley's, or worse, Godrick's Hollow.  
The House Elf screwed his face up.  
"Kreacher is not sure, is one of these wands being Master's? Because Master took his wand with him to the hospital."  
Harry nodded.  
"Yes, yes but there was another, 11" Hawthorn with unicorn tail hair, polished almost black, did you see one like that?"  
Kreacher's face remained scrunched.  
"Kreacher is not sure, he is sure he packed all of Master's things in thanks for Master freeing the Malfoy's from Azkaban."  
"But the wand? Did you pack the wand? Listen to me Kreacher, the wand belonged to Draco Malfoy..."  
The House Elf's eyes widened. "The last Black." He said in a voice of awe. "Wait there for Kreacher, Master."  
Harry wasn't going anywhere. Kreacher waddled off as fast as his gnarled little legs would go. He returned with the wand in hand.  
"Return this to the young Malfoy please Master." Kreacher croaked before he bent down and gingerly placed the wand between Harry's teeth.  
Harry glared. What on earth had Kreacher been doing with the wand? He was ready to go off at his House Elf but at that moment the Floo powder ran out and the fire spat his head out with unnecessary force.

When the flames fell back down the room was washed in a dim color that was neither gold nor red but a bit of both.

Now Harry had Malfoy's wand and it felt like a tremendous weight in his hand. How on earth was he going to give it back to him, he could see several obstacles in his way.  
First McGonagall had told him specifically to keep away from the blond, secondly the next six days were looking to be completely taken up with his training to be Flying Professor and when he wasn't doing that he'd be at staff meetings or consulting with Healer Everglade.  
Until he could get the wand to its original owner, somehow without being seen it would be a liability.

Doing the only thing he could do, Harry squeezed it into his protective holster, beside his own wand; he'd go to sleep now, with his eyes shut he used the walls to guide him up the stairs, into his new bedroom where he fell asleep clothed and on top of the covers.

Not enough hours later bursts of light were coming from his wand arm, and a sharp alarm noise. At first he thought the two wands together were reacting somehow but then he remembered he'd set an alarm for his training with Hooch. He tried to calculate in his head how much more sleep he could afford if he skipped bathing and breakfast but in the end decided it wouldn't be enough regardless and managed to get into a standing position.

Bath, he summoned clothes and robes from his wardrobe without even thinking about how he'd managed it wordlessly and with little effort. With them in arm he made it to the bathroom. He undressed as the bath filled automatically; he should have paid attention to the automatic part because when he jumped in he discovered cool water reeking of citrus. It refreshed him, woke him up but in a shocking way that left him gasping for breath, quickly he managed to get some cleansing potion in his hair, when he got out he spelled himself dry and got dressed about three times until everything was on the right part. When he was leaving the bathroom he realised the stairs were blurry, he went back into the bathroom to find his glasses, immediately left again, then headed back into his bedroom where they actually were and put them on. Clear sight put into perspective the day he had ahead of him.

Thankfully his room opened right into the teacher's lounge where big warm breakfasts were steaming on the tables, the room was quite full, with the professor's and staff, excluding Grawp but including the new addition of Madame Pomfrey. Harry sat down and grabbed some random items of food without thinking much of it, anything dry enough so he could shove it into his mouth with little coordination. He was chewing down a muffin that had been made with some kind of berries and white chocolate when he recognized Malfoy, not too far away, eating porridge. He made to get up, not quite satisfyingly full yet, and tried to get to the other side of the room.

"Not so fast Mr. Potter."

Hooch and McGonagall stopped him, looking equally stern.

"That's not the direction of your training." McGonagall informed him. "Where are you headed?"

Harry glanced in Malfoy's direction, which made the headmistress' nostrils flare.

"I will not have you causing any more trouble." She hissed. "Now accompany Madame Hooch out to the Quidditch shed and enjoy your training!"

"Yes, but it's still half past, don't I have..."

"You will train when I want you to, so help me Potter, but since you're so _insistent _I'll let you know you have a visitor in the main entrance who would like to meet with you this afternoon."

"A visitor?"

McGonagall shook her head with a sigh and walked off, Hooch pierced him with a look.

"Come along, if you work hard enough I'll be able to catch the early train, none of this slacking off you did yesterday."

It was all Harry could do not to let his mouth gape open. But he was dragged out of the room and after Hooch who seemed to be trying to reach the shed in record time, he almost forgot he had a visitor waiting until he was in the main entrance and saw her for himself.

Small stature with slightly out of control black locks, heavy eyelids and an aged complexion, Andromeda Tonks was the last person he expected to be visiting, however whom she had with her made more sense, cradled in her arms, the much smaller person seemed to be sleeping, he wasn't new born anymore he was five months old and had a thick head of blond that represented neither his parents. Harry smiled at Teddy Lupin even though the infant couldn't see him

He was at a loss for words, he and his godson were the last remnants and only descendants of the marauders, and Harry had planned make sure little Teddy knew all about their father's and Sirius. He'd promised Lupin after all.

Tonks gave him an approving look.

"So I see you didn't completely forget about him when you decided to have a breakdown."

Harry's eyes shot to her face.

"Of course not."

"Good, I'm told you'll be free this afternoon, please work quickly, I have other business to attend to but I can't stay in Hogsmeade all day, Teddy needs to be home before three."

"I understand, I really do, I'll be done by twelve." Harry nodded enthusiastically to emphasize his point whilst trying to ignore Hooch's skeptical look.

Andromeda nodded slowly in return.

"The Three Broomsticks then."

She added, passing them to walk up the stairs in a regal manor that reminded Harry of Malfoy…in an annoying way.

Left alone with Hooch he was cornered by her disapproving look.  
"Done by twelve?"

Harry tried not to let his grin seem too sheepish. A thought occurred to him and he sped off in a sprint.

"Hey! You better be heading off to the broom shed!"

He was and he made it there through the cold morning fog in record time, immediately he began disabling the security charms, the best he could with what he'd learned from Hooch the previous day. Some were harder to get and took a few times to disable but by the time Hooch was approaching he'd got the shed open and was extracting the equipment.

"Slow down Harry, you'll never get through our program in five hours."

Harry's eyes glinted as he looked at Hooch with gratitude; that was just the encouragement he needed, if you ever wanted Harry Potter to do something, tell him he couldn't. In seconds he had the school brooms out and lined up in class formation.

"Let's begin." He told Hooch.

At five past twelve both Hooch and Harry looked a mess, rain had poured again and Harry willing to waist no time failed to _impervius _his clothes and hair, nonetheless it didn't matter as they'd been practicing rescuing techniques which involved a lot of falling from great heights and landing in deep mud. Thankfully his own Quidditch skill meant that he was able to master the fifteen techniques in only one or two tries each, as long as he applied full physical and mental effort.

Nonetheless they were finished and Hooch found herself pleasantly surprised and reveling in the prospect of being able to catch the lunchtime train back into England.

"So can I go?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Please? You know I wouldn't normally ask."

"Fine but you don't have to sound so happy about it."

Harry bounded off like he was still a fresh-faced first year and the old Quidditch professor found herself smiling, it was hard to remember at times that he'd lost so much, everyone close enough to McGonagall knew they wouldn't get away with coddling him, not that Hooch would ever try but she couldn't help but feel she owed Harry, well, she pondered as she headed out of the school grounds, she supposed nearly everyone owed Harry.

* * *

Harry paced back and forth more times then necessary trying to decide whether to change, how he'd get to Hogsmeade, should he have a bath?

In the end he bounded up the stairs, found the door to his room just inside the entrance to the teacher's lounge and managed to change into clean robes, using a combination of _Scourgify _and _Tergeo _to clean off ninety per cent of the mud.

Casting _tempest _he discovered it was already nearing one, if it took him up to forty minutes to get back out of the castle and into the center of Hogsmeade to find Andromeda and Teddy then he'd have at most half and hour before she'd want to get Teddy to the train station. Harry became frustrated, why couldn't he apparate out of school grounds? Surely some witch or wizard could invent a way to get around quickly without causing security concerns! He'd been going around pretty fast that morning in professor training, why didn't he have a broom?

Harry actually smacked himself in the head for that one, whipping out his wand he used "_Accio Firebolt._"

Sure enough the broom came hurtling out from under his bed and he caught it, he'd be at the Three Broomsticks in minutes now, he couldn't wait to see Andromeda's face there was no way she'd actually expected him to finish as early as he did. He hoped she was actually at the Three Broomsticks and not elsewhere. He'd run out of his room and was across the main entrance when he wondered whether he should've just flown out the window. Even if it had been too small _engorgio_ could have worked, if he'd used it on the frame. He shook his head and mounted the broom, he waved at Grawp who was emerging from the forest, the big giant waved back continuously as Harry got higher and higher. It felt good just to be flying by himself, and on a broom he was familiar with, this was what life was meant to be about and everything within him felt better.

From a bird's-eye view Harry easily found the pub/restaurant and descended neatly down in front of it. He felt fantastic, he knew that his usually birds-nest hair became much more streamlined when fresh off a broom but the summer air had done even more than that, his face was fresh and flushed and his eyes were sparkling, he had a smile he couldn't get rid of and the robes he'd grabbed without thinking were new and fitted quite nicely. For this reason among many others madam Rosmerta shot out the door and over to Harry, pinning him in an embrace that was all too strong for her lithe figure.

"Harry!" She cried out happily, "What a pleasure to see you here, have you flown a broom into Hogsmeade before?"

"No actually." Harry said, grinning even more, he couldn't wait to tell Ron about this. Rosmerta let him go and motioned for him to follow her.

"There's a parking station by the front gate but I don't suggest you leave that Firebolt out; come in and I'll lock it up inside for you."

Harry did, letting her hold the door open for him as he stepped into the burning warmth and friendly atmosphere.

"Are you meeting anyone?"

She asked, peering at him slyly.

"Yes actually."

She grinned. "I thought so, you look dashing, no one would think you were a school boy just two years ago!"

Harry felt himself go red but he laughed nonetheless.

"I'm not doing anything like _that. _I'm here to see my godson Teddy, he should be here with his grandmother."

Rosmerta's face fell into a stark contrast to the joyful host she'd been up until then.

"They are here aren't they?" Harry asked, not sure where else to look for them.

"Well if you're talking about Andromeda Tonks…"

"Brilliant! So she is here." Harry handed the broom to Rosmerta who took it with a grim expression.

"Where a bouts are they?" He asked looking around to see mostly strangers in for lunch.

Rosmerta glanced worriedly over to a corner and Harry followed her gaze, he could make out Andromeda with Teddy on the ground, it had to be Teddy because no other baby had pink hair. Harry made to head over.  
"Wait."  
Fearfully Rosmerta grabbed his arm.  
He looked at her and was shocked to see how very distraught she was.  
"You haven't been here have you? What I mean to say is, you don't know what's been going on...in the wizarding world?"  
Harry shook his head. "You could say that."  
"Well have you picked up a paper recently?"  
"No."  
Rosmerta sighed. "Well not all's been peaceful since the war, people've been saying it was bound to happen with the likes of the purebloods going around, they say it's them what should be prosecuted."  
"Harry smiled at her, Andromeda's not like that, everyone knows she was married to a muggle."  
"Harry, there've been attacks, it's very serious. They've been saying there's a militia that are calling themselves the Mudblood Army, that are going to get revenge for the war."  
At that moment Teddy shouted out and Harry didn't want to hear anymore. It all sounded like a bunch of gossip. Ignoring Rosmerta's plea for him to "wait." Harry broke free of her hold and strolled over to his godson and scooped the him up.

The baby made a small noise of protest as a magical toy was left behind; Harry stooped to pick up the strange rattle-like contraption and handed it to him.

He turned to ask Andromeda how she was but found himself lost for words as he became aware he was facing Malfoy instead.

The blonde looked at his aunt.

"What is this?" He spat. Harry wanted to ask the same thing.

Andromeda actually rolled her eyes at the two wizards.

"I'm sorry, I didn't expect my time with the two of you to overlap, in my experience it's not like Rolanda to let people off early."

"She didn't let me off early, I finished all my training."

"Well you can hardly blame me for not guessing you'd fit everything she had planned into five hours." She looked at Malfoy. "Stop pouting, it was meant to take eight to ten."

Harry shifted Teddy who was babbling at him whilst clutching the toy up to his face.

"You said you had to go by three!"

Andromeda became a little flustered.

"It was meant to hurry you up not turn you into a hippogriff on Felix's!"

Malfoy shook his head, looking like he'd been poisoned.

"Look, Potter, with all due respect I know you had a connection to our old professor and want to see his son but I'm having a private conversation with my aunt that really can't…"

"Teddy's my godson."

Malfoy looked mildly surprised.

"He is?"

"Yes, Lupin was my father's best friend, and he and Tonks were both good friends to me, they were like family, actually."

Harry didn't know why he'd become so heated and angry but he hated Malfoy demeaning his connection to Teddy who was the closest thing he had to family, before the Weasleys and definitely not including the Dursleys.

"Well I'm sorry but surely you can see him again some other time."

Andromeda cleared her throat.

"Actually this is really the first time Harry's got to see Teddy."

Malfoy's careful demeanor dropped as he adopted a twisted scowl.

"Then you probably _could _have predicted this." He ground out. Andromeda simply shrugged.

"He can stay, Salazar knows neither of you are going to leave, and you know he's a Gryffindor, he won't listen in."

Harry nodded.

"I can even take Teddy for a walk?"

Andromeda sighed.

"Thank you, that will be great, just keep him out of the weather and be back in two hours."

"If the child's going to be gone for two hours then you have time to tell me everything." Malfoy said in a quiet tone, leaning forward toward Andromeda.

Andromeda pursed her lips. "I suppose so."

Malfoy sat back looking triumphant.

"You can run along now Potter."

Harry would have been angrier but he was going to spend the next two hours with his godson and that was great, so great that hearing Malfoy mutter. "Nanny Potter." Didn't bother him at all.

Harry walked out of the restaurant, concerned eyes of Madam Rosmerta on him.

"I'll come back for my broom." He told her gently, it turned out he should have listened to her warning after all.

Getting out into the street he remembered how cold it was and thought he should perhaps put a warming charm on Teddy's clothes, but what if it heated him up too much? He needed to take the infant back in doors; somewhere he could play with him and talk to him without looking too weird.

"Harry!"

Isobel McGonagall, of all people sprinted from across the street, and reached him out of breath.

"Oh, who's he? How cute. Anyway I have five seconds. Rhys will be here on the weekend, we'll meet up."

"OK?" Harry said, looking at the woman bemusedly.

"No I'm serious, get my aunt to give you some time off. I'll see you exactly here at seven."

"I'll try…"

"Well owl me if you can't."

Teddy yelled out incoherently and held his toy out to Isobel who smiled.

"No thank you." She told him.

"Isobel!" Harry called as he saw she was leaving.

"Quickly!" She urged him.

"I've just come out of the Three Broomsticks, it's getting to the end of summer and I think he needs a warming charm on his clothes."

Swiftly Isobel plucked Teddy from Harry's arms and gave him a brief hug.

"No they're already on, probably why he's so content, goodbye."

She past him back and then was off down the street, toward a distant purple vehicle that had to be a Witch Way taxi.

"So where should we go?" Harry asked Teddy but the only reply he got was something along the lines of "Aranyananama."

Smiling Harry continued to walk down the street and after not too long, passing the 'closed indefinitely' Weasley's Wizard Wheezes he spotted a sign to the shrieking shack, thinking first of his third year, then of the Marauder's Map and Remus' history with the building he figured he could visit it briefly and tell Teddy some stories, not that the baby would understand.

Walking up to the sign and then onto the trail Teddy let go of the toy and Harry quickly caught it, the infant boy rested his head on Harry's shoulder sleepily, he wondered if that easy trust came from Tonks or if Lupin was like that before the Lycanthropy.

They approached the battered old building and Harry was amused to see it still fenced off, though that was perfect as he had something to lean on as Teddy began to doze.

He stood there with the baby in silence, he kept thinking he was asleep but each time he looked down a different colored pair of eyes were looking back. Eventually Harry figured he'd better say something.

"You won't understand any of this but it's important you know about your dad." Harry began, feeling silly.

"My dad died before I really got to know him too, you see your dad and my dad were good friends, and they had another friend, Sirius Black, who was my Godfather, like I'm your godfather. I didn't really know anything about my father at all and I was only ever able to find out little bits until Sirius told me, stuff I wish I'd known sooner."

The baby was asleep.

"Anyway my dad and Sirius looked out for your dad, when he was little he was bitten by an bad guy who was also a werewolf and that meant for his whole life your dad would turn into a werewolf on the full moon, in those days there wasn't any way to control it so no one trusted werewolves and your dad probably didn't want anyone to know. But Sirius and my dad they worked really hard and became animagus' and that meant on full moons when your dad turned into a werewolf, they turned too and they could keep him company, they knew friendship was really important because not all of us have a family to be there for us, we have to find our family like Sirius found his and I found mine and now you'll find yours but you wont be alone, you'll have me and Andromeda and maybe even Malfoy, he's your cousin so I suppose you do have some family even if you're an orphan, but who isn't these days? You'll be alright, as long as you're like your mum, she was brilliant, a fantastic Auror, oh I should tell you what an Auror is-"

Teddy's eyes opened and he looked at Harry, they were a familiar green color, slowly the pink hair atop his head turned darker until it was black and messy, the baby smiled triumphantly. Harry tried not to get choked up.

"Very cool little one, should we go back?"

Harry handed the rattle back, he noticed it had little paintings on each side that waved, one that looked like Tonks and one that bore a resemblance to Lupin, Teddy shook the rattle and the two figures ran around to switch sides.

Harry looked up, trying to blink the blasted dust that seemed to be getting in his eyes, as he headed back to the main street.

The Witch Way taxi was long gone, Harry didn't think much time had gone by at the Shack and was worried about the baby, how long did they take between eating? Did he need to sleep in a cot? What if he needed to poop? What if Harry needed to poop? Where would he put Teddy? It wasn't like there was some baby drop-off station. It seemed his emotions wouldn't stop running on high; he darted into the nearest shop without looking at what it was He needed to be near other people, just in case he needed help.

"Harry Potter!" A young rosy-face assistant walked over to him. Good. Harry thought she looked like she might be able to help him.

"Where am I?" He asked and she laughed, Harry looked around at the aisles and aisles of sweets and recognized Honeydukes immediately, he felt like an idiot.

"Oh right, I'll just look around."

"Oh ok, but he's much too young for the regular sweets." She pointed out.

Harry looked down at Teddy who looked back up at him.

"Do you have anything for babies?" He asked skeptically.

"Not out here but out back we have some things we send out to homes, just give me a tick."

The assistant vanished and Harry amused himself and Teddy with a new display of Double Whizzing Bursting Cartwheel Dragons. What seemed like colorful gummy dragons, flew around in loops and blew out clouds of sugar dust, some had two heads that seemed to dislike one another, they were a hefty 28 sickles and Harry couldn't see himself buying one.

The assistant came out with a large white box with a cartoon baby Kneazel on it. Harry carried Teddy over, past the couple of strangers who smiled at him.

"OK let's see what we've got here."

Harry glanced at the nametag, Claris Winterplatt. She opened the box and began pulling things out.

Harry left the store with san assortment of baby sweets which all seemed to be for teething. However Teddy did seem to enjoy them.  
As quickly as he could Harry entered the next shop.

He seriously considered leaving again because he'd entered Madam Puddifoot's.

"I really need to start paying attention to where I'm going." He told his godson who'd began to cry, making Harry panic.

Madam Puddifoot herself pushed aside several other customers and took Teddy from Harry.

"Oh you poor little dear." She said soothingly, Teddy took a look at her, pausing his cries momentarily then he began screaming again twice as loud. Puddifoot walked off and Harry deigned to follow her, she took them both to a corner table where she summoned an extremely cushioned highchair that she placed Teddy in.

"Sit." She told Harry who abruptly took the regular chair, across from his nephew; she gave Harry a menu and bustled off to the kitchens. Dutifully Harry ignored it and fussed over Teddy, Teddy looked right at him, black hair and green eyes, then in an instant pumpkin orange hair and orange eyes.

Was he asking for another sweet? Not wasting any time Harry pulled out another of the sweets and gave it to Teddy, he stopped crying on seeing it and grabbed it from his godfather, confirming that he had what he wanted he gave Harry a huge, wet smile.

"I can't believe you." Harry muttered. Now he was stuck in Madame Puddifoot's all because Teddy wanted a sweet.

The baby was quite content when Puddifoot came back with a bottle of warm-formulated milk; she placed it in front of Teddy.

"I see he got what he wanted, now how about you?"

Harry was faced with the same problem, he didn't know if he had any money, not caring too much on manners he rummaged through his pockets, he'd just be honest if he came up empty handed. Just as his fingers brushed something coin-shaped Puddifoot plucked his menu away from him and glanced over it. "The Double burger and Goblin Fries with a side of Sprout salad?" She asked; Harry extracted his hand to find a good amount of sickles.

"Sounds good." The matron bustled away.

Teddy finished his Fruity Puff and reached for the bottle. Harry picked it up and awkwardly held it for Teddy as he drank from it.

A waitress came out with Harry's order. She was elderly and must've known a lot about babies because on placing down Harry's food she said.

"Well you're doing it all wrong aren't cha?"

Harry looked at her confused. With a sigh the lady transfigured a napkin into a bib, tied it around Teddy's neck, then put complex charms on the bottle so it'd continue feeding Teddy, with admittedly more precision than Harry.

"Now you can eat your meal in peace."

She gave a wink, which set Harry back and disappeared into the kitchens.

The meal was delicious; he finished well before Teddy and without him asking two butterbeers and a cup of tea was brought out to him in procession.

On the last madam Puddifoot came back out.

"Did you enjoy the meal dear?"

"Yes, very much so, thank you."

"Good, so no need for me to fire anyone today." She smiled warmly.

"May I?" She indicated that she wished to pick up Teddy.

"Sure." Said Harry and so Puddifoot did, and began patting him on the back.

"You see you need to do this after you give them a meal or a drink because they get gassy."

Harry looked at her surprised, he of course hadn't known that and wondered if she was joking.

"So you're back at Hogwarts hmm?"

"Yes but not studying, working."

"I wouldn't suppose there's need to study now, what position has Minerva given you?"

"Um I'll be flying professor." Harry said, causing Puddifoot to smile again.

Shortly after Teddy belched and Puddifoot placed him back in his chair.

"Give him another treat and I'll re-fill your tea."

"Great, how much do I owe you?" Harry asked reaching back into his pocket.

Madam Puddifoot walked off laughing. After his second tea Harry realized it was time to get back to Andromeda, he pulled the half-sleeping Teddy out of his highchair and went off to find someone to pay. The first waitress he approached avoided him skillfully, the second, a waiter this time said he best talk to the owner. When he finally did find Madam Puddifoot again, by a booth talking to a pretty witch, she told him to "get out" and burst into laughter again. Harry was starting to think he wouldn't be able to go anywhere in Hogsmeade anymore as he'd feel obligated not to receive the free food. Nonetheless he had to leave, Teddy was asleep now and he needed to get him back to Andromeda.

He found he'd walked a far way as returning to the Three Broomsticks took ages. His arms were sore from the weight of his godson. Going in he found the pub empty, save Andromeda and Malfoy; even Rosmerta was nowhere to be seen. The aunt and nephew, if they could be called that, were discussing whatever crucial matters quite intently, Harry had no qualms disrupting them though, earning himself a scowl from Malfoy. Harry smiled back, after years of Snape's looks of loathing, Malfoy just didn't quite cut it, which was odd as Harry deserved much more hate from Malfoy than he ever did from Snape.

"Oh look he's asleep." Andromeda observed, standing up and pushing her chair back.

"Pity, we'll have to resume this conversation another time Draco."

The blonde wizard's face darkened.

"Pass him to me Harry, are those his?"

Harry past over sleeping Teddy and then the Honeyduke's bags.

"Yes, they were given to us."

"Not surprising, I doubt anyone around here would make you pay for anything."

"Aunt Andromeda-"

"Please Draco, you'll make us miss the train, just owl me with any further enquiries."

Malfoy bit back his next words and Andromeda turned to Harry.

"Where's his toy?"

Harry's heart sank. Where _was _the toy? He couldn't even remember where last he saw it.

"He might have dropped it."

"Can you try and summon it?"

Harry pulled out his wand and tried _Accio _however the toy didn't come; it probably was because he didn't know what it was called or exactly what it looked like. Andromeda closed her eyes wearily.

"Look, I don't have time for this, we have to go now, but if you don't find that toy Harry Potter then I'll hex you into next week…these'd be yours."

She handed Harry back a box of every flavour beans then left. Harry put his wand back into the holster, at this point he noticed Malfoy looking at him strange, with wide eyes and an absence of malice.

Feeling uneasy he quickly left in order to find the toy.  
"Can I have my broom back?" He asked wearily. Rosmerta nodded and summoned it.

"Here you go Harry, have a good day."

All Harry could do was nod, without smiling and left abruptly.

Malfoy followed him outside and down to the road.

"Potter!"

"Leave me alone!"

"I know what you have Potter!"

Harry moved into a jog, getting away from the blonde. He looked around the high street for the toy but it wasn't exactly thorough as Malfoy was still calling out and coming towards him. Hogsmeade shoppers were staring, Harry knew how it must look and hoped no one would do anything too drastic.

In the end he decided to get away from any crowds as witches and wizard began to pull out their wands. He came to the shrieking shack trail and ran down it, Firebolt swinging uncomfortably in his grip. He could use it to fly away at the end of the trail and then Malfoy could sort himself out from there, at least if Malfoy followed him down to the shack his chances of being cursed would decrease and McGonagall would have no reason to be angry at Harry.

The toy caught Harry's eye, it was lying in the dirt and the Lupin-like painting was having a snooze in the upward facing corner. Not giving it much thought Harry went over and picked it up triumphantly, a demeanor that was quickly lost as something slammed into him.

"Give it here Potter!"

Harry hastily handed the toy out to Malfoy and the blonde actually stopped his tirade in shock.

"I'll just have you know it's really low taking a baby's toy."

"I don't want the fucking toy you half-wit Gryffindor!"

Harry lowered the peace offering in confusion.

"Give me my wand!"

It all became clearer.

"Oh is that all?" Harry quickly plucked the wand out of his holster and held it out. "I completely forgot, I really meant to give it back to you."

Malfoy starred at him gaping.

"Go on, you can take it."

"Fuck." Was all Malfoy could say and Harry wondered when he'd become so dirty-mouthed? It wasn't very aristocratic.

"Please take it, it's yours."

"I can't just take it! It has to be won."

Harry still didn't understand the issue.

"Then _expelliarmus_ me or something?"

Malfoy shook his head as if to ward off the stupidity.

"Then give me your wand."

"What?"

"It's the best chance I have of disarming you, and try not to expect it."

Barely hesitating Harry handed over his own wand to Malfoy, who could not believe what was happening.

"_Expelliarmus!"_

With ease Malfoy's wand returned to him, and there he stood, former Death Eater facing his unarmed enemy with two wands.

"You know what makes me mad?"

He asked in a deathly voice.

"Not so much that you're stupid but that you're stupid enough to think I actually owe you, that I'm as indebted to you as every other piece of scum that gives you sweets!"

Harry backed up, coming to realize the extent of the situation he was in.

"I don't want you to trust me, I don't want you to have anything to do with me. In fact I'd prefer if you never existed but as it seems you insist on being everywhere!"

Harry tried to speak.

"_Sectumpempra_!"

His hair rustled as the poorly aimed spell rushed past him. He heard a mighty crack, and turned around in time to see a towering Maple, sliced in half, come to a dramatic crash on the ground. Not one nerve in his body wasn't pulled tight as he began to shake uncontrollably, why did Malfoy have to do this, why did his life have to always be threatened, no amount of Bertie Bott's could counter it. Dementors, Basilisks, green light, dead eyes, the cauldron in a graveyard. The dreams, so many dreams of the muggles screaming for mercy, begging for someone to save them, but no one ever did, the war had been won but too late, much too late and it'd never end, death would still follow Harry he'd been born marked, it could never be outrun.

He felt his knees hit the hard earth and he let his arms fall down limp, there was nothing for him to see, there was no point battling.

Yet Malfoy threw Harry's own wand back at him so it hit him in the face. Did he actually want a fair dual? That went against everything Slytherin. Harry picked it up and held it in his hands; he could hold it to his temple and finish the job. It would make things a hell of a lot simpler for Draco.

Next thing the wand was in fact pointed at his skull and glowing green with the intention of the next spell.

"Holly fucking Salazar! Potter! Stop! Do you have any idea what people will think? Stop!"

Malfoy dove at the mentally unstable scar-head. With great effort he wrestled the wand back away from Harry.

"What in the name of Merlin's beard? Is that some kind of mental flashback symptom?"

Malfoy was panting and looking like he did back in the forbidden forest in first year when his dark leader had been lurking about.

Harry was still trembling and felt a sensation similar to uncontrollable laughter bubbling inside him.

"You're actually having an episode? Merlin, I'm going to get fired. Pull yourself together!"

"Just kill me."

"I'm not going to kill you!"

"The tree…"

"It was a fucking tree! I'd like to stay out of Azkaban if you haven't noticed, I'm the only chance my father has right now."

Now Harry was beginning to feel like a Dementor was closing in, face after face, tortured or dying flashed by in his mind and each seemed to be accusing him and telling him he'd be next.

"Or else it will be someone I love!" Harry told them

_He'll keep coming and his followers after him, nowhere to hide and if you run he'll kill everyone you ever knew._

"No! Please just kill me, don't hurt them!"

Nothing seemed steady anymore; the faces seemed to swim out of focus to make way for Malfoy standing over him, looking a little sick. Had Voldemort sent him? He looked into the silver eyes, such a spineless little coward, he never could hurt a fly, always had someone else do it, no he had no choice, he was there to kill Harry and it would mean safety for everyone else.

"I don't blame you."

There was no response.

"We're alone, I'm defenseless. It will be a mercy."

Harry was off the ground and thrown onto his broom, Malfoy got on behind him.

They shot off the ground and into the sky. Was he going to drop him? If that was what Malfoy was planning then he wasn't doing a very good job, he was holding Harry on to the broom if anything, but Harry didn't care, he just wanted to fall asleep.

He did, it was a very light sleep, he had some idea of what was happening, he was flying over Hogsmeade with Draco Malfoy who had his arms around him and kept cursing. Then they were descending at a very gentle angle and Harry struggled to wake up. Through bleary eyes he saw the hospital wing and Madame Pomfrey rushing toward them.


	6. Psychological Healing

A/N - _So things are beginning to get a bit more exciting. Language warning in here, as if you slash obsessed Drarry fans care about the f-bomb. I really hope you like this one, we're half way through the chapters I've pre-written and I'll begin writing more as soon as I get a response in the reviews._

_But Rodacoma and chrissypotter you mean the world to me, if this fic ends up 500 chapters long it's thanks to you two. _

* * *

Pomfrey spelled Harry with _Levicorpus. N_ot fully comprehending what was happening the wizard flailed and struggled, calling for help. Malfoy hastened to leave.

"Stop right there!"

She told him sharply and made him follow her.

She hurried them all inside and lowered Harry on to a hospital bed, the man instantly tried to jump off.

"Hold him down." She told Malfoy.

"What?!"

"Now!"

"No! Use body bind!"

"I can't he's too strong."

Malfoy didn't understand, how was he supposed to hold Harry down physically if body bind didn't work?

"I'm throwing body bind at him but his magical defenses are up, HOLD HIM!"

Malfoy pulled out his wand.

"STUPIFY!"

He felt the spell hit the area around Harry and rebound off again. What the hell? How was the wizard doing that? It was impossible.

Seeing no other choice Malfoy put his wand away and pushed the fitting Harry back onto the bed. Hands seized his arms and terrified green eyes pierced him. Harry was panting rapidly and cold sweat beaded on his brow, around the lightning crevice etched there. Inching Harry began to push Malfoy back, his shoes sliding on the floor as Harry began to sit up.

Meanwhile Madam Pomfrey had gone into her office, Malfoy looked over his shoulder and could just see her bent over the fireplace, she must have Flood someone. She pulled out her soot-covered head to see what was going on.

"Don't let him get up!"

There was nothing left for it, Malfoy launched himself on top of the bed and used all his weight to hold Harry down, his legs pinning him.

"Harry!" He never used Potter's name and it seemed to work, the struggles lessened.

Malfoy leant in, Harry was thrashing his head from side to side and Malfoy wanted him to hear him.

"Harry, Harry, listen I'm not going to hurt you, I couldn't even if I wanted to, you're safe, ok? You're safe."

Inwardly Malfoy felt enraged, why did he have to put himself through this for Potter's sake? It was demeaning, but it was his fault and he worried about the outcome should McGonagall find that out.

Harry's movement stopped and he lay rigidly still whilst his eyes stayed squeezed closed.

"I'm safe?"

"Yes, yes you're safe."

"But what about everyone else?"

"They're safe too."

Harry relaxed even more; re-opening his eyes he looked at Malfoy.

"You're right." He said.

Malfoy looked at him confused.

"Our whole side were muggle loving idiots, we never should have gone to war." They'd all still be alive if we hadn't"

"Shut up Potter, you're delirious."

"We were all wrong! I never should have fought! Everyone was wrong!"

"Ssshhhh!" In a panic Malfoy clamped a hand over Harry's mouth. "Don't say that stuff to me, I don't want to know."

Harry pulled his head away from the hand.

"But you're the only one who'll understand." Tears sprung from eyes that could no longer look at Malfoy.

"You know you were fighting for the wrong people, even before the war was lost, you can understand that everything was wrong."

Harry's body shuddered.

"Why did they make me do it? I didn't have to fight him. Why did they make me?"

"I-I don't know, look stop…"

"Please tell me? They told me I had to kill him and then I actually wanted to, I was just a kid! Why would I want to join a war? Help kill people!"

"I don't know."

Now Draco's throat was closing up, he really wished Potter would fucking shut up! Pomfrey came rushing out.

"They're coming, I'll get some potions to give him. Will you help?"

"No!" Harry looked defiant. "No potions, I'll be alright. Pomfrey, I think I've caused Malfoy some trouble if you'd tell him to get off me I'd like to talk with him."

Pomfrey eyed Harry's face with concern.

"I'm not leaving."

Malfoy got off Harry and the bed and straightening his robes he nodded.

"I agree I don't trust my own abilities to restrain Harry should he go through another episode. However if you were to wait in your office for whoever is arriving by Floo I could cast a simple _Muffliato_ charm."

"Fine." Pomfrey replied and rushed into her office.

"_Muffliato! _Fucking hell Potter, you're more messed up than me even."

"Forget everything I just said and I won't tell anyone you cursed me."

"What?"

"I'm fucking serous Malfoy. If I tell McGonagall you sent _Sectumpempra_ at me she won't care what else went down and your plans to become potions master will be good as a squashed flubber worm. I need you to keep under wraps that I'm spellshocked, it's not in my interests for the Prophet to get wind."

"They could find out any way."

"Don't be stupid. If they print anything I'll assume it was you."

"That's not very Gryffindor."

"Shut up about houses even a Hufflepuff can act like a snake if they need to."

"Well you'll never see a Slytherin crying about having to participate in a war!"

"You never cried?" Harry asked skeptically whilst self-consciously wiping the tears away.

"Of course not, a Malfoy is above such emotions."

"Oh yes? Then out of curiosity, how did you learn that spell to begin with?"

"Which spell?"

Harry up and slid off the bed, without warning he parted the top of Malfoy's robes and peered at the now exposed collarbone.

"Yep, still some scaring, so I suppose you haven't forgotten."

The previously speechless Malfoy reeled back and punched Harry hard in the face.

"Mr. Malfoy!"

Pomfrey raced out of her office and toward the wizards. Harry quickly de-cast _Muffliato._

"It was my fault, I provoked him." Harry stated through a bloody nose.

"Nonetheless I'll be reporting this and Mr. Malfoy may expect a resignation letter!"

"I can't believe this." Malfoy headed for the door.

"_OBLIVIATE!" _The bellowed charm hit Pomfrey squarely and the medical witch turned calmly and went into her office. Malfoy had stopped to see if the charm had been cast at him.

"What did you do?" The blonde wizard didn't need an answer; he looked after Pomfrey and his eyes widened.

"You can't do that! You've probably brain-damaged her."

Harry laughed.

"If I have then I'll take you down with me."

Malfoy gulped. "Oh merlin! Should we check on her?"

Harry shook his head. "I'm good at charms."

"That was _Obliviate_! You need to train in that. Crap she's going to need to go to Mungo's"

"I know all about _Obliviate_ Malfoy, I practiced it for three months."

"On what?" Malfoy asked, scrunching his face in thought, a funny look on the usually smooth skin.

"Myself, idiot. Bloody hell, look that memory was fresh, she's fine."

Harry pushed past the annoying blonde.

"Madam Pomfrey?"

"Yes Harry?" She rushed out of her office.

"I seem to have fallen, can you fix my nose?"

"How on earth? Draco move aside! Here let me see that." She quickly began repairing the cracked cartilage.

"No, don't you leave Mr. Malfoy. You were here when he came out of his spellshock, we'll need to look into that."

"Wait, what?" They asked simultaneously.

"I've seen others who've been traumatised from the war, a lot of healers are volunteering for those in Azkaban. Considering the severity of your case you shouldn't be lucid now."

The witch had fixed his nose and had begun examining his eyes and mouth and posture and reflexes.

"What's that got to do with Malfoy?" Harry asked as the blonde also said.

"What's that got to do with me?"

"You were talking to him weren't you?" Pomfrey directed at Malfoy.

"What ever you said to him must have brought him back."

Harry pulled away from Pomfrey aggressively.

"Excuse me but he did not bring me back!"

Malfoy said nothing but began to look as if he was obliviated.

"I was fine!" Harry continued.

"Harry you were having a fit." Pomfrey told him sharply. "Your healer will be here soon, he'll be able to discuss this further with you."

"My healer?"

"Here I am!" Said a deep voice and emerging from Pomfrey's office was Dante, dressed suspiciously well.

"Pomfrey, Mr. Malfoy, if neither of you mind I will take Harry to somewhere quieter."

"That's fine Healer. Everglade."

"We're in the hospital wing." Draco pointed out snarkily. "What could be quieter?"

Harry felt annoyed, why did Malfoy need to comment?  
"I didn't know you cared so much." He said, making the blonde snarl and he swiftly left the wing, hoping Dante would follow.

"Your office should suffice." Dante who was indeed at his heels, informed him.

Harry nodded and took the stairs to the first floor, inside the main doors he found his quarters and said "Pegasus." Continuing through he vaguely remembered someone telling him he could reach his office from there. Sure enough, along the corridor was a battered wood door, so grey it blended with the stone.

"Through here." Harry told the healer. He opened the door and it revealed an empty closet.

Feeling embarrassed Harry let out an uncertain "Er." As he tried to figure out how he'd explain himself. Dante chuckled and went past Harry to enter the closet; at the back he pulled on a small latch and it sprung away to show an empty office.

"After you." Dante said, stepping aside.

The office was in a tower, a very high tower, so high he might have guessed it was the astronomy tower had he not known any better. A large, arched window took up the middle of the left wall, there was a broom rack underneath it, he would bet the window could open, a fact supported by the view of the Quidditch pitch beneath it.

A polished desk sat in the middle of the room, it had two stuffed chairs on one side and a high-backed seat behind it that seemed made of broom handles.

Dante took a cushioned one.

"Please sit." He asked Harry who took the other cushioned chair.

"It's dark in here, may I put up some lights?"

Harry nodded and the healer shot some lights up into the corners of the room from his wand.

"This doesn't need to take much time, you just need to tell me the events of this afternoon including why you obliviated Poppy."

"I-"

"Please Harry, from the start."

"Only if this is confidential."

"I'm sorry I have to collaborate our sessions with McGonagall."

"Then I'm sorry I'm not telling you anything."

"Know that she and I can't act on anything you say to me, we can't tell anyone else, we are bound by oath."

"I still can't."

"She's more reasonable then you give her credit for. Why are you protecting Draco Malfoy? I thought you saw him as an enemy."

"He and I made a deal, he's keeping his mouth shut as long as I do the same."

"And you trust his word?"

"I blackmailed him, it's a language he understands and _that_ I trust."

"What's so important then that you made a deal with your former enemy to protect it?"

"It's not that important, it was all nothing really, it's just better for our jobs if we keep it to ourselves."

"You don't think McGonagall would understand? She's your guardian, you're meant to trust her."

"I do trust her."

Dante nodded understandingly.

"Then you shouldn't bar her from helping you with this situation, I will be discreet with the information you give me."

"Well I can't trust her not to take this out on Malfoy…"

"But that doesn't matter if you're not protecting him."

"I'm not, just then he'd have reason not to keep to himself how I acted."

Again Dante nodded.

"Who could he tell that would think of you differently? who wouldn't understand your trauma?"

Harry thought about it.

"Well, no one really I guess, but it's not just telling people, it's also using it against me."

"You're afraid he'd taunt you?"

"Yeah, I guess?"

Dante shifted in his chair to cross his legs. Harry couldn't help but do the same.

"Why is it that you care how he acts toward you?"

"I don't like it!"

Dante shrugged. "Fair enough."

There was a pause and Harry regretted talking at all, why did he care what Malfoy thought? he guessed he didn't, he might as well say what happened what went down at the shack but then again that was breaking his word and the Gryffindor in him didn't agree to it.

"Do you understand the condition you have?" Dante asked Harry.

"Pomfrey said I was spellshocked."

"It's a phenomena we're finding with many witches and wizards involved in the war, as well as the victimized muggles. Those who were placed under different traumas or stress for unrelenting periods of time are now experiencing intense moments of magical and psychological distress we're calling fits. There's a correlation between the amount of trauma and severity of the fits, such as, the Death eaters who saw many muggle killings are having worse effects than those who only saw a few."

Harry paused his line of thought and played over what Dante had just said.

"But they're death eaters."

"Yes but they are also human and no human actually wants to kill…except in rare cases when they're already psychologically damaged."

"But they chose to join Voldemort."

"And how many do you think would have chosen to leave if they could? Our worse trauma victims are the death eaters, ironically there are few people Voldemort treated worse."

Harry shuddered.

"You shared a mental link with Voldemort during his reign did you not?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah."

"So am I right to assume that you saw and experienced a lot of what his followers did?"

"I suppose so."

"And I, in researching your very vast and complex case have discovered you had disclosed to you a prophesy of sorts that dubbed you the sole savior of Wizarding kind, that you alone could defeat Voldemort and if you were unsuccessful would die?"

"I did, Dumbledore told me."

Dante nodded.

"When did he tell you?"

"I saw it in his Pensieve in fifth year."

"Two years before the war actually commenced?"

"I suppose."

"When did the threats on your life begin?"

That one was easy.

"When I was one."

"Could you list them?"

Harry thought about it.

"There was when my parents were murdered, and then my first year here my Defense Professor was hosting Voldemort and they tried to kill me then, first during a Quidditch match and then in the third floor corridor. In my second year a Horcrux of Voldemort's sent a Basilisk on the school and then attacked me with it not to mention the Acromantula that tried to eat my friend Ron and me. In my third year I thought my Godfather was trying to murder me all year but when I found out I was safe from him my Defense professor of that year transformed into a werewolf and attacked us and then Dementors tried to suck our souls out. In Fourth year an escaped death eater disguised as Mad Eye Moody got me into the Triwizard Tournament and at the end transported me and my schoolmate to Voldemort's resurrection, I saw them kill him and then I brought his body back with a portkey when they tried to kill me too. In fifth year the ministry sent a witch who tortured me with a blood quill, I had dreams that revealed people close to me were in danger and getting attacked and I needed to go to the ministry to save them. When I did I found out it was a trap and me and all my friends came under attack and my godfather got killed, I escaped, in sixth year I wasn't targeted but I was with Dumbledore when he was killed and I knew Voldemort was back and then…"

"The war?" Dante finished for him and Harry nodded.

"It seems you have been constantly threatened since becoming a Wizard, what about before that? Muggles raised you, free of all this, it must have been nice for you?"

Harry barked with laughter.

"You don't' have any pleasant childhood memories?"

Harry looked Dante squarely in they eye.

"When I was living with the Dursley's all I could think of was returning to Hogwarts and all the danger I just told you about!"

Dante suddenly looked at a loss.

"You mean that was no good either?"

"Basically I was the Dursley's house elf, they loved reminding me how insignificant I was by locking me up and starving me. Merlin forbid I mention magic, my parents or even look at them, Vernon wasn't exactly shy dishing out a beating."

Dante paled dramatically.

"You didn't have any muggle friends?"

"My cousin Dudley wouldn't let anyone talk to me, and adults thought I was a delinquent."

"Why didn't anyone do anything, shouldn't you have been relocated?" Dante asked, summoning notes out from his robes and quickly looking through them.

"Well the Weasleys looked after me a lot after they realized what was going on, they became like my pseudo family, especially after Sirius died."

"Oh well then you have happy memories with them?" Dante asked.

"Yeah but I don't really like thinking on it."

"Why?"

"They all got caught up in the war, even Ron and Ginny, because of me. They lost their son Fred and George and Bill got maimed. They're at Mungo's so you've probably seen them."

"Oh the red heads?"

Looking a little ill Dante nodded in understanding.

"Um…on assessment I think you probably are severely spellshocked."

"How badly?"

"Well seeing as our most severe case is five years under duress of magical warfare, your seventeen years coupled with childhood abuse and neglect, the fact the trauma you experienced stemmed both from the enemies heinous crimes and the immediate threat to all those close to you…"

"Yes?"

"I think healers may need to redefine what severely spellshocked is."

Harry's heart sank.

"Am I curable."

Dante smiled.

"If I'd known all this before today I would have said no but seeing as now you're lucid..."

"And what does that mean?"

"Our most severe victims, on going into their first fits never pulled out, they had to be put into magical comas and are being monitored in the new Potter Ward."

"The what ward?"

"Yes, sorry about that, it's a secret ward though so don't feel too bad."

"So somehow my reactions aren't as bad?"

"Well seeing as you have no recollection of what you said and did and you had to be physically restrained because you were resistant to magic, I'd say your reaction was phenomenally bad. Tell me, to you agree that Draco Malfoy may have been able to get through to you?"

Harry thought on the idea and found it disgusted him.

"To be honest with you, the only reason he was able to stop the fit was because he triggered it to begin with."

"How so?"

"He attacked me and I thought he wanted to kill me."

"And what after that?"

"As you said, I don't remember."

Dante rose off the chair and walked over to a door they hadn't entered through, beside it was a chest. The healer rummaged around and came out with some goblets. He brought them back to the chairs and Harry was mildly surprised to see them filled with wine.

"Drink up." He instructed. And Harry did, finding he enjoyed the sweet, tangy taste.

"I have another theory but I don't think you'll like it."

Harry shrugged, so far Dante seemed smart and if he didn't think Harry would like the theory then he was probably right.

They sipped some more.

"Nonetheless if you like my theory or not you need to spend more time with Draco."

"No."

"It will be good for your health."

"It will be detrimental for my health!"

"If I told you my theory you would understand."

"I don't want your theory."

"Okay, then tell me how Draco attacked you today?"

"What's this theory?"

Dante smiled. "If you don't want it, it's totally up to you."

"Well if you don't tell me now I'll be thinking about it won't I?"

"Fair enough. My theory is you and Draco are linked."

"Well I can tell you first hand we're not and don't call him Draco, you don't even know him."

"Don't you call him Draco? You've been peers for at least six years."

"Well I don't."

"You didn't get along, makes sense, in nearly every way you're completely opposite which means quintessentially you're the same person."

"No it doesn't, it means we're nothing alike! Which I happen to like just fine."

"For starters Harry, neither of you ever had the option to stay neutral in the war, you've had it affect you since young ages and had role models you trusted bestow positions of immense responsibility, you're both trained soldiers and you've known little else outside of that."

Harry gave Dante a belittling look.

"I don't think you know what you're talking about."

"We can start with the more menial things then, you were in rival houses, both seekers for your Quidditch team, both were regularly on detention…"

"Yes but only because he provoked me!"

"And no doubt he'd say the same thing." Dante cleared his throat and continued. "Your situations in the war were the same, not factoring in you were on opposite sides, neither of you had a choice in playing pivotal roles and both of you took on your roles with enthusiasm because they were presented to you by those you admired. Tell me, how have you come to view the outcome of the war?"

"We lost." Harry said sullenly.

"Even though Voldemort's dead?"

"Especially because of that. Too many died, no one should have had to loose their lives, even Voldemort, I've seen what has become of him and no one should have to face that fate."

"You've seen the afterlife?"

"Something similar."

Dante gulped the rest of his wine.

"You need an outlet for information like that."

"Isn't that what you're for?"

Dante laughed. "In your case Harry all I can do is collect all the information I can, analyze you and put you on potions, I can't begin to offer understanding, I never saw Voldemort's face, I was no where near the war, I never saw anyone killed, in the proportions of the magical world, the war was a small-scale, it engulfed the lives of those involved in it but left everyone else mostly unscathed."

"So you think Draco's the only one who'll understand me?"

"There's a reason you don't talk to your friends, why do you think they fought Voldemort to begin with?"

"Because of me."

"And why did you fight?"

"Because I had no choice."

"Exactly. And why doesn't Draco talk to his friends."

"I don't know."

"Why did Draco join the war?"

"He had a choice, he could have not become a death eater; Dumbledore would have given him refuge."

"Dumbledore orchestrated the Light side of the war, he didn't offer Draco neutrality but an option to switch sides, why would he choose that when his family were all fighting for Voldemort?"

Harry's mouth hung open; surely Dumbledore would have let Malfoy go neutral if he hadn't wanted to fight. Then again Harry hadn't wanted to fight but Dumbledore told him the prophecy. Then there was Snape who'd switched sides and Dumbledore had made him stay a contender. Had Draco switched sides, wouldn't he then have had to prove his allegiance and fight against his own family and friends?

Harry cringed as he realized that during his internal dialogue he'd said Draco instead of Malfoy.

Dante looked at Harry meaningfully.

"I get that you don't trust Malfoy and that the two of you may never become friends, but perhaps if you were able to dig up some information on him you could use that and make him talk to you, if he discovers you know too much about him he will probably ask you questions so you're on the same footing again, if you can regulate that power play once a month or so it will help with your healing."

Harry nodded, that actually sounded a little fun. He'd have to get around McGonagall though.

"In the mean time, avoid any triggers to your fits, keep a diary perhaps of anything that causes you flashbacks, what you see in the flashbacks. Keep near enough to Malfoy that he can bring you back too."

"He didn't!"

"Let us for argument's sake say that he did because there aren't any other explanations and it's better to be safe than sorry."

Harry too finished his wine.

"Let's return to your quarters, may I use your Floo?"

"It only connects to my house in London."

Dante looked around.

"_Accio broom_." A standard broom flew from the wine trunk and into his hands.

"Can I borrow this?"

Harry nodded. Quite elegantly Dante spelled open the windows and flew out calling

"Goodbyeeeeeee I'm missing my date!"

Then he was gone into the setting sky.

Harry thought about how strange the healer was as he figured how to get back into his quarters, he would go to bed now, skipping dinner, however a House Elf was waiting for him.

"Mr. Potter is needed in the Little Hall." The elf informed.

Harry sighed and shook his head, he really couldn't. He needed rest and an opportunity to clear his mind of everything that happened.

"The meeting is waiting for Mr. Potter! Headmistress says she won't start without him!"

With that Harry moved away from the couch he'd been about to lay on. Really? Wasn't this taking things too far?"

"Okay." Harry told the Elf tiredly and headed out of the room. Miracles did happen because Harry somehow was able to navigate the spinning room and enter the Little Hall. Inside they were not in fact waiting but were in discussion over a rogue creeping-vine, which was led by Professor Spout.

Harry searched the table, there were more present today, Pomfrey had come up from the hospital wing, although Luna must've left the night before Mr. Filch had brought along Mrs. Norris and she'd been given her own seat.

He couldn't see any spare; he took seconds searching around until he saw there was in fact one spare seat, sandwiched between Nightingale and the Slytherin bastard himself. Harry scowled as he moved across to it. Malfoy didn't look too happy either, Harry sat down and found himself a little overwhelmed, his two colleagues hadn't left much room between themselves, on one side Nightingale was wearing delicate robes with short arms and a low neckline, from her exposed skin wafted a sweet-spicy aroma that reminded Harry all-too readily the feelings that he'd been developing for her. Her skin looked incredibly soft and her hair that was tousled smelt even more incredible. Harry decided to lean closer to her; As for the presence seated on his other side, it was overwhelming in a different sense. There was a self-conscious awareness of Malfoy that made his stomach sick with crawling worms and his heart pulse, Harry knew it had everything to do with what had transpired at the shrieking shack and what he had talked about with Dante. As he'd turned fully away from Malfoy his awareness of him made him feel like a giant ball of heat that was burning his neck and all along his back making it impossible for Harry to remember how he naturally sat. All of these sensations combined were especially unpleasant and reminded Harry exactly how much he hated Malfoy.

"Well that was troublesome." Nightingale stated lightly, turning to Harry who dreading, realized he hadn't heard a word.

"I'm sure she'll have it sorted before next week, are you ok?"

Harry nodded.

"You look uncomfortable."

"I'm tired."

"Oh yes I saw you training on the pitch today!" Her pretty face broke into a smile. "My cousin Oliver plays professionally and you could give him a run for his galleons."

Harry smiled back but his heart wasn't in it.

"Miss Nightingale, you had an announcement?" McGonagall asked from down the table.

"Oh yes, that's right." Nightingale laughed. "Um, there has been found a fundamental error in any third year text book on the 1858 convention of vampires…"

A sharp jab pushed Harry in an upright position.

"You were falling asleep." Malfoy snapped under his breath.

"Mind your own business."

But Harry was falling asleep and couldn't help it, it seemed the more he wanted to stay awake, the more he couldn't keep your eyes open.

"You know missing sleep, you were just asking to have an episode!" Came a whisper from over his shoulder.

"Shut up Malfoy unless you want McGonagall to find out."

"No doubt you already told your healer."

"As a matter of fact I didn't. You should be grateful I got barely any sleep last night, it was for you after all."

Nightingale, who must have been the only one able to hear them, began choking halfway through listing all the effected books.

Immediately both boys stopped their conversation.

Nightingale was able to continue and finish, looking a little flushed. As soon as she sat down the armor served their dinner again. Immediately in front of Harry was an autumn broth, he figured he might as well have it since he couldn't be bothered reaching for anything else. As he was filling his bowl he noticed Nightingale was ignoring him, she was holding a half-hearted conversation with Grossly and not looking too pleased.

"Will you hurry up, you're taking all night."

"Have something else."

Malfoy gave Harry an incredulous look and Harry shoved the only ladle towards him.

"May I remind you, you're in a professional environment?"

Harry's eyes narrowed, normally he would apologize, choosing to be the better wizard but in this case he was at his wit's end.

He began eating the food disdainfully, why was Malfoy born at all? Everything was harder with him around.

"I think we'll keep this meeting short, is there anything else to add?" Spoke McGonagall and Harry noticed no one else had grabbed much food and most had finished.

"Goodnight then."

Harry pushed aside his half filled bowl and got up to find Malfoy was blocking him, talking intently with the blond mentor.

"Move Malfoy."

Their conversation stopped.

"Excuse me Potter?"

"I said, please would you let me pass?"

Malfoy turned to face him and dropped his voice to a deadly whisper. "You know someone as unstable as you shouldn't be speaking to their betters like that."

"Oh please, we both know you shouldn't be speaking like that, given what you are."

Malfoy's face paled.

"Don't act as if your proud of it anymore, a whole courtroom knows you think it was wrong."

Abruptly Draco stepped away looking conflicted. Harry passed easily and left the hall to go back to his quarters, however as soon as he was out the doors and into the dark corridor beyond them he felt someone push him up against a wall, his back slamming against the stone. Two arms that were as strong as his own pinned him there by his right arm and his head.

It had to be Malfoy because who else would have the gall to resort to physical violence in such a situation? However it was so dark in the room Harry couldn't see, all he knew was they were male and slender, judging by the slight jut of hip bones pressing against him. Angry, ragged breath hit his face, breath that sounded, smelt and tasted of Malfoy, or at least what he imagined.

"Look here, Potter." His suspicions became confirmed by words dripping with venom.

"I was never wrong, if Voldemort hadn't been weekend by his first attempt on your life the purebloods would have risen."

Harry pulled himself together, not allowing him self to struggle aimlessly.

"I think you're getting two things mixed up."

"What?"

"It's not as if yours was the first pureblood movement. They've been successful in the past before."

"Yes I know that."

"So your mixing up a legitimate political campaign to gain rights for old pureblood families with an insane death mission to conquer the world and wipe out muggles, run by a madman bent on immortality."

Draco didn't let Harry go and the dark-haired wizard began rapidly overheating.

"Could you let me go?"

"Having another episode?"

"Might be."

"Good."

"Good?"

"This one might be permanent." The words were sincere and Malfoy pushed even closer, completely pinning Harry with his body.

Harry's body was going into adrenalin overdrive, having his enemy completely restrain him, his heart thumped and blood pulsed and his breath couldn't keep up, but hen everything became irrelevant as he realized his body was responding. Oh shit, how distanced from human contact did he have to be for _this _to happen? The familiar tingle was starting and Malfoy was so close he was going to feel what was happening too. Malfoy took his hand away from his head to grab his other arm and Harry took the opportunity. He head-butted the blonde right in the face, hearing a crack. Malfoy stumbled away from him. Free Harry didn't waste time, he ran for his life.

* * *

_PS - Sorry to keep going but I have unintentionally begun a Merthur (Merlin-Arthur) Fanfic, this fan fiction takes priority for now but it will be an intense rush getting both finished before I start university next year, support is desired. Much love X_


	7. Stews and Brews

A/N - _It's so tough editing this story, even though I wrote it less than a year ago it feels like forever and my ideas have changed a lot. Hopefully by the time chapter 12 is published I'll be able to evolve the story and make it better (think raichu from pikachu)__  
_

_Disclaimer - The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books._

* * *

The breath, it danced along his jaw line, it was hot. Lips touched his neck, trailing down.

The hands that had held him against the wall were gentle. The fingers were nimble as they slid inside his robes and a thin knee slid between his legs, Harry's bird-nest hair got pushed back by these fingers and silver eyes flashed at him before he came down again to kiss him harder. Their bodies were close creating a heat that was incredible, Harry needed that gap filled, he needed to pull Draco on top of him but the blonde was drifting further and further, he called out for him to come back, he reached out and got nothing, he sat up and plummeted into horrifying consciousness.

Had he just shouted "Draco" in his sleep?

He looked accusingly toward the unused bottle of dreamless sleep. He'd remembered to take it ever since the night after the meeting when he'd managed to run away after head butting Malfoy. Mortified he'd stumbled into his room finding himself in a state of arousal and hadn't been able to climb the stairs.

That night had been the most graphic dream.  
His brain didn't exactly know what two men did when they were that intimate but nonetheless it was creative enough to fill in rather a lot.

Now it was three nights later and yet he'd still dreamt of the blonde. He hadn't even been seeing much of him with the intensive professor training, only glimpses at the staff meetings.  
Not for a second did Harry believe it had to do with sex, with the minute knowledge he'd derived from basic occlumency he put the dreams down to a subconscious reaction to his session with Dante.

Nonetheless he felt terrified of them. Painfully he pushed himself out of bed and stumbled over to his wardrobe, still half blind with the lack of his glasses he reached out and opened the doors.

All at once a great pressure engulfed him forcing his heart into a much more rapid pace. His limbs froze rigid and Harry began to think he was under a spell. He very much wanted to look around to find the source but was too terrified to try. It may have been an aftershock of the dream but that didn't seem likely to Harry, as all the sensations suddenly running through him were a world away.

Green light.

Screams.

High pitched laughter.

Snakes.

The horrifying memories threw themselves at him so fast he had no time to distinguish which were real and which were not. He struggled to remember if he was safe or if he needed to protect himself. In fact he couldn't even tell if he was screaming or if he was even awake. It was the same as if he were under the lake in fourth year again and his gillyweed had worn off, except that this time the surface was nowhere in sight, he could swim with all his might in one direction but who was to say that he would find oxygen there?

He had to believe he was in danger because it was what his body was telling him and because it was the safer thing to do, he fumbled for his wand, clasping it he held it out shakily and found within him the ounce of courage to turn around. His heart released as he saw an empty room, he was in Hogwarts, and sun was streaming in through thinly curtained windows. He struggled to get his breath under control; wiping his face he found an unnatural amount of sweat on his skin.

Good thing it was Saturday he needed a bath now and he perhaps needed to firecall his healer.

Harry's ability to bathe and dress in moments was record-breaking; he was still half wet as he rushed into the teacher's lounge, shaking like an aspen.

"Are you alright?" Nightingale asked from a nearby table. Neville who looked like he was leaving paused and headed toward his old comrade.

"Harry, has something happened?"

Harry felt Neville's hand on his shoulder but couldn't comprehend; he was still struggling to recognize safety. In fact there was a death eater in the far corner, a far corner that was becoming less far as Harry found he was walking toward it, he assumed Neville was following because he seemed like he was saying things along the line of. "What are you doing? Where are you going?"

But everything became background noise because by that time Malfoy was speaking.

"Potter, what on earth are you doing?"

Harry sat down.

"I'm not sure."

"Why are you shaking so much? Are you covered in water? Take care you don't get any of that on me."

Malfoy shifted away but only a bit. Neville sat down too.

"Since I'm over here Malfoy, are you ready for the students arrival on Monday?" Neville asked in all politeness.

"Of course I am Longbottom but this isn't time for idle chatter, your friend's unwell."

Neville threw a concerned glance back at Harry.

"What has happened? Will you be okay?"

"I don't know." Harry said again, still shaking.

"Goodness Potter, are you barely hanging on? Have you even contacted your healer?"

"What do you mean barely hanging on?"

Malfoy shot a look at the other pureblood.

"I don't suppose you paid much attention the past few years Longbottom, as it seems Potter isn't quite capable of remaining mentally stable. Salazar knows how he'll manage teaching."

Neville's face paled.

"So he's having a breakdown?"

"I'm right here!" Harry managed to croak, closing his eyes.

Neville leaned in toward Harry and tried to whisper quietly so Malfoy couldn't hear.

"Then why did you come over here?"

Harry didn't bother answering.

"Tell me Malfoy, if you think I'm unfit for teaching, what does that say about you?"

"I'd take offence if you were worth it." Malfoy drawled.

"Harry what in heaven is the matter?" Asked McGonagall, appearing in front of the table.

"Nothing." Harry interjected before Neville or Malfoy could answer.

"Good then you can meet Madam Hooch in the first empty classroom off the third floor corridor, you have class plans to go over before Monday."

"Headmistress I really don't think..." Neville began.

"I'll be right up."

"Very good." McGonagall stated, turning away and marching off. Malfoy gave a little snort of amusement.

Harry stood and straightened his robes.

"Thank you Malfoy." He said calmly.

"What for Potter?"

"For not kicking me away."

And with that he left to find the empty classroom.

* * *

The planning didn't take too long and it was only mid-afternoon when Harry was let out.

He was doubly glad because for the past hour there had been an incessant scratching at the door Hooch had told him to ignore, he finally got to see what it was.

A medium-sized fluffy owl sat there, it was a curious midnight-blue color and Harry couldn't recognize the breed.

"Are you here to see me?"  
He asked it and he or she hooted and flew to his shoulder, a perch that until then had belonged to Hedwig. The strange-looking owl held out its leg and there attached to it was a roll of parchment; Harry took it off to read.

_You've forgotten haven't you?_

_-Isobel_

That was right; Isobel had wanted a meeting between them and Rhys, that week earlier felt as if it was a millennium ago. He of course hadn't asked McGonagall's permission and he certainly didn't plan on it seeing as how thin the ice was he was skating on.

The owl flapped its wings at him, blasting him with feathery bits. Harry sighed as it began pecking him. He supposed he needed to find some parchment. It seemed he couldn't rush toward his quarters fast enough; the owl pecked him into a sprint.

"Potter, what on earth is it you are running from?"

Harry forced himself to halt in the headmistress' presence. This caused the skin over his knuckles to crack open by the vengeful beak.

"Is that Isobel's owl?"

Harry nodded, wincing in pain.

"What ever does she want?" McGonagall asked, pursing her lips.

Harry handed out the note and wished the headmistress would hurry and read it.

"This makes very little sense to me."

"She wants to meet."

"Alone?"

"No we have a friend, he's coming to."

"Dare I suggest you're talking about Rhys Thorn? Maliz to me."

The owl flew away from Harry and to McGonagall who cooed at him affectionately.

"Yes, quite a bad pair Isobel and Thorn. Worse than any Weasley or Potter or Black or even Malfoy at that, I'm sorry to say adulthood has just made them worse. So will you be meeting them?"

Harry shook his head. "I was about to owl her I couldn't come."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow at him.

"I wasn't aware you were busy tonight."

"I'm not but I don't have permission…"

"I'll have you know we teachers use this weekend to enjoy Hogsmeade without the hordes of students, it's where I'd prefer to be and I can't see why you shouldn't go too."

Harry gaped. "Oh." Was all he managed to say.

"Run along, reply to her."

Harry nodded and the owl flew back to him, it seemed he needed to start running again.

When he got to his desk all he manage to write was.

_Where do we meet?_

_-H_

The owl was flying off before the ink dried. In the time Harry changed and cleaned the afternoon had become a shade darker and the owl approached from across the grounds and flew back in.

_Stews and Brews, be here as soon as you can._

_-I & R_

Harry sighed as the owl flew off without a reply. He supposed he would have to take his broom again, and he'd have to fly out the window this time too. Well he should feel happy, a moment outside the school, free of any professor business.

He mounted the Firebolt and used _bobmbarder _to open it magically and then he kicked up and floated out into the sky. So he needed to find Stews and Brews, he had heard the name before and was sure he'd walked past it many times but for the life of him he couldn't pinpoint where to land. He figured he could land in front of the Three Broomsticks again but then no doubt Rosmerta would come out again and then he'd have to explain that he wasn't coming in. In the end he drifted down to a brightly lit shop with a smoking chimney, he was sure he hadn't been to it and it seemed his best bet. Sure enough the signage indicated that he had indeed found Stews and Brews eatery. Wonderful, however he was still out on the cold dark street with his. He walked quickly toward he shop he'd landed too far away from, coming toward him was a Witch, she looked a little familiar but Harry couldn't see in the dark.

"Hurry Draco!" She called out and Harry became worried, he wasn't Draco, should he tell her that?

Some tiny presence of mind told him to turn around and sure enough an unmistakable figure was approaching.

"What are you doing here Potter? Stalking me again?"

Harry spluttered. Getting a good idea of what it looked like and feeling a great deal of dread as he recognized how bad his luck was. He really didn't know how to explain himself.

"I'm meeting up with friends here."

Draco snarled.

"Not Weasley and the former Granger! Maligna I insist we go somewhere else!"

"As a matter of fact I do have other friends!"

Draco laughed cruelly. "You do not."

At that Harry smiled and stormed into the shop. He knew now Draco would follow him in and he'd enjoy proving the former Slytherin wrong.

"Harry!" Isobel was wearing quite fashionable silver robed made of Fairy silk, Harry had seen them from a Witch fashion magazine in the Mungo's and was quite impressed, they were expensive and cutting-edge.

Rhys himself looked dazzling, as a magical therapist he kept his figure but he seemed to have bulked up since Harry had last seen him, accentuated by a fitted hot-pink vest and black robes hanging open. Harry felt under-dressed in the plain black pair he was wearing but at least they were fitted and one of the new sets Hermione had sent him after he'd sent her a bucket load of galleons and a note begging for proper professor's robes.

Isobel hugged him tightly, and then so did Rhys.

"It's brilliant to see you love."

They ushered him over to the small bar where he sat between them.

"Are you coming along as a professor well?" Rhys asked him, picking up one of the menus, Isobel doing the same.

"Yeah it's been really tiring but there's nothing more I can do before tomorrow."

"Don't say that! You'll jinx yourself." Isobel said, passing Harry's menu to him.

The first thing he read was Squid Hearts and pulled a face, at the same time Rhys had asked.

"Got any love interests?"

Isobel broke into giggles.

"What?" Harry asked, he supposed he didn't, not even Ginny.

"No doubt you find Genevieve Nightingale attractive." Isobel asked with a meaningful look that Harry didn't understand.

He felt himself redden.

"Of course, I mean, sure she's very beautiful. I think I'll have the steak."

They ignored his last comment.

"Yes but you can think anyone's beautiful right? You can find something beautiful without falling in love with it. I'm sure you think that wizard who keeps staring at us as beautiful, I do, in a creepy way of course."

"What?" Harry turned around and choked as he found out exactly who was staring. What did Rhys know? Was this about the dream? Was he an occlumens? But he didn't think Malfoy was beautiful any way there were lots of people less pointy and more attractive than the blonde. And yet Harry still couldn't defend himself, mortified beyond words.

"Don't you know who that is?" Isobel snapped at her friend.

"Looks like Harry's new interest." Rhys declared with an air of triumph.

"More like an ex-death eater who's tried to kill him."

"Actually." Harry managed to say "I don't think he ever actually tried to kill me, not seriously, unless I count sixth year, though I almost ended up killing him then."

Rhys looked at him gaping.

"I'm sorry."

"Nah it's okay. Should we order drinks?"

Isobel placed all the orders, which were brought over promptly.

"Thank you Humphrey!" Isobel said to the young wizard serving them.

"What's this?" Harry asked, really just wanting a nice normal Butterbeer.

"This is a roulette game."

Harry shot Isobel a look which portrayed clearly he had no idea what that was.

"These are all the finest magical spirits, there are Dragons Tears, Liza's Fury, Wonderdust and Toad Slime." She smiled amusedly. "But we get the beautiful Humphrey to hide some choice potions in them, whatever Rhys can get his hands on. What did you get by the way?"

"Befuddlement draught, Elixir of induced euphoria and for a lucky one tonight, Felix Felices."

"No!"

Rhys grinned.

"How?"

"Well I have my ways." Rhys replied looking smugly at his nails.

"Come along Harry, goblet stems up!"

The three of them grabbed a drink each and drank them down. Harry's had a nasty sugary sweet taste and was ice-cold.

"Liza's fury." Isobel informed him. "Here try Dragons Tears." A ruby-red goblet was passed to him and Harry drank that down too.

"Aren't you going to have any more?" Rhys asked, drinking down a Liza's Fury.

"Of course not, if I only have two then there's no chance of getting all three potions.

"Oh come on!" Isobel exclaimed.

"Yeah that only happened the once and we were playing with four people that time."

Rhys pushed two more at Harry. "You need to try Wonderdust and Toad Slime anyway."

Harry took the two goblets and shrugged, then he downed them one after the other causing Isobel to whoop. The noise was drowned out however as some music had begun to play, Harry recognized the Weird Sisters; also the shop was now quickly filling.

"Best we get over to our booth."

At their booth their meals were already served, Harry sat down, already feeling tipsy.

"Eat up quickly, you've taken in a lot of drink."

Harry nodded and happily tucked into the steak as Isobel and Rhys began talking about his healer of all people, he didn't really mind because they weren't talking about him in a professional sense but more a personal sense, more specifically his birthday, the coming weekend.

"How old will he be?"

"Too old!" Isobel declared and Rhys glared at her.

"He is not! He'll be thirty-five."

"And how old are you little Mr. Thorn?"

"That's not relevant."

"You're twenty-one and if I can still count that's a thirteen year difference."

"Actually it's fourteen years." Harry pointed out, swallowing his steak.

"Alright so I can't count! Anyway that's worse!"

"I don't see why that's a problem, I mean I'm younger than both of you and we get along great."Said Harry.

"Yeah he has to be at least twenty years your junior Isobel."

The witch scowled briefly and then her eyes widened. "My goodness Rhys he really is oblivious."

They finished their meals, the other two steadfastly refusing to tell Harry what he was oblivious about as conversation swam through Quidditch, the ministry, Hogwarts and recent sightings of the crumple-horned snorlack in Sweden.

As the night grew later and later the shop began to empty, all of a sudden Isobel looked accusingly at Rhys.

"Get your feet off your neck!"

Both Harry and Rhys paused their laughter over their conversation about Dante's facial expressions to look at their friend.

"Off my neck?"

"That's where your face should be! Didn't your mother ever tell you?" Then she began trying to push him off his seat.

"Put them back on the floor this instant!"

She looked at a passer-by who was giving her a strange look.

"No my nose is not running away!" She said, letting go of Rhys to clutch her nose. She leant toward Harry.

"Help me minister I'm afraid she was right." Then she grabbed a napkin and proceeded turning it into a harness for her run-away nose.

"Guess who got the befuddlement draught?" Rhys said amidst new laughter.

Isobel sprung away from the table and ran over to an elderly old wizard with a walking stick.

"Let me get that for you…ha you fool! I have it now! Your wand is mine." She proceeded to run into the center of everyone, pointing the cane at them and shouting out. "Pew-pew, pew-pew."

By this time Rhys had rushed over to her and given the stick back to its owner.

"Must go Harry, ta-ta!" Rhys called, dragging Isobel toward the door as she cried. "I will! I will marry you!"

"By the way I feel fine!" The Mediwizard shouted as they both disappeared out the door.

Harry's stomach clenched, so that meant he'd most likely taken two potions. He struggled to remember which they were.

He saw Malfoy sitting with his mentor and decided to go over.

Why, he couldn't say.

"Good evening, I'm Harry Potter, I don't believe I've had the pleasure of formerly meeting you."

He spoke to the blonde witch, holding out his hand. She gave a small smirk to Malfoy and then shook the offered hand.

"Maligna Winesap, world-renowned potions master if I do say so myself." She answered.

"Potter, what are you doing? How dare you come over to us when your company just made such a display."

"I apologize." Harry said laughing.

"I'm afraid she accidentally took some befuddlement draught, the wizard works in Mungo's you see and there was an unfortunate mix up."

"Why are you talking like that?" Malfoy snapped.

"Like what?"

"Like you actually know how to behave in society."

"Well it's good to see you taking at all." Maligna directed at Malfoy. "As soon as I told him we wouldn't need to do any more class planning tonight he completely shut off and he keeps slipping out of focus."

"Stop!" Malfoy winced. "I demand you do not relay any more information to him Maligna, he's not a friend."

The older witch frowned.

"But then why did he come over here?"

Malfoy scowled. "I have no idea. Couldn't you tell just by the way I received him?"

Maligna shrugged. "You speak like that to everyone."

Harry decided at this point to sit down next to Draco.

"What dose she mean you're slipping out of focus?" He whispered.

Draco shrugged but didn't seem able to snap at Harry to go away.

"If you're going into spellshock then you're in no position to discriminate whom can help you. Do you need to get to St Mungo's?"

Draco shook his head. "I'm not as weak as you." And with that he collapsed onto the table, shuddering.

"What did you do to him?" Maligna cried.

"Nothing." Harry snapped. "He's going into shock, I recognized the symptoms, we need to get him to Mungo's."

"You can't, they don't receive is kind there."

"How can you be sure?"

"He said he's tried to go there before, I didn't know it was for this."

"Help me get him somewhere quiet, he'll start fitting soon."

Winesap nodded and helped lift Draco up and took him behind the bar where they found Humphrey.

"Had a bit much has he?" Humphrey asked and Harry nodded, not knowing what else to say.

"Take him to the room out back, there's some pepper up potions in there, and next time tell him to take it to the Broomsticks."

Winesap and Harry got Draco into the small bedroom in the back and put him on the bed. The blonde was sweating and convulsing at this point and crying out.

"N-no! N-not them, please not my parents, please, don't, not my family, don't send me back, no, no, you can't!"

"Draco!"

Harry was beginning to feel the familiar stress descend on him too.

"Don't! You can't send me back to him! You can't make me! He can call all he want's I won't!"

"Draco, come back, you're all right, he's dead, I'd feel it if he came back wouldn't I? And then I'd have to jump off the astronomy tower so since I'm still here…"

"Should I stupefy him?"

Harry shook his head.

Draco opened his eyes.

"Harry?" He croaked out, reaching out a trembling hand,

"Is he really dead?"

Harry nodded. "I swear on what's left of my life."

Draco pushed himself up onto his elbows and shook his head slowly, his eyes were clouded and kept rolling back into his head.

"But nothing killed him, he kept coming back."

"Not this time."

Draco nodded, flinching as he felt the sweat on his brow.

"Tell anyone about this…"

"I know, it's no as if I have much to fall back on myself."

Maligna looked worriedly at them.

"I'll try to owl for some thestrals, there's no way you can walk back to the school."

"Do you have an owl?" Harry asked, getting a shake of the head in reply.

"Then he'll come back on my broom with me, there'll be no owls around this time of night, those not being used will be hunting and the post office is long closed.

"Is that safe?" Maligna asked.

"We've done it before, besides, what's the alternative?"

And so, helping Malfoy get shakily to his feet they took him out past Humphrey and the empty eatery to Harry's Firebolt parked outside.


	8. Spellshock

_Disclaimer - The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books._

_A/N - I've been really demotivated for this story, mainly because 1. My Merthur story is really fun to write 2. I'm writing and editing a real novel and so my writing style is flourishing and to read over and edit this old work is painful (but it's still my writing so no negative comments agreeing with me) 3. I have two blogs now 4. I'm going back home 5. I have a billion books I want to read._

_Anyway it's unfair to begin publishing this story and then not get to the sexy time so I will keep posting and then I might as well keep writing. I just need a shred of motivation...please._

* * *

Harry pulled the broom away from the self-locking rack and set it into hover, together he and Maligna got Draco on the broomstick.

"Will you be okay?" Harry asked the witch, not sure if she should walk back to Hogwarts by herself.

"Stop being such a muggle, I have a wand."

Harry nodded and hopped on behind Malfoy.

"I'm not sure about you two though, does it work with both of you?"

"Yeah Draco got me to the hospital wing just earlier this week, it seems to work fine."

"Yes but how do you get to the hospital wing on a broom?"

Harry begun to kick off.

"It's on the ground floor so I'll just land outside it and usually Pomfrey comes running out."

Together they flew up, as Winesap's concerned expression grew smaller and smaller. Harry thought he probably shouldn't have used the word 'usually'.

It was hard to see and the broom wobbled all over the place. How on earth had Draco managed this the other day when their positions were reversed?

"Have you cast a stabilizer charm?" Draco asked groggily from in front of him.

"No, should I have?"

"Yes, do you know how?"

Harry cleared his throat, in fact he didn't.

Draco moaned.

"Could you do it?" Harry asked as the broom lurched up higher and then rapidly dropped a few meters.

I_ guess that's a no_. Harry thought as Draco's head dropped back as he became unconscious.

The broom jolted around, and Harry continued to push it toward the school, he couldn't make it land and that wouldn't do any good to them as it was. Most likely Draco would end up in a magical coma and it'd all be for nothing. In reality they were staying on the broom by a thread but it seemed a thread was all Harry needed as he navigated the pitch darkness.

"I'm going to die." Malfoy moaned.

"No you're not, you're safe. Pomfrey will help you."

"I am bloody well not safe, and unless Pomfrey can bring back the dead she's not going to be much help."

Harry moved the broom around a considerably violent twist and managed to fly it straight for a few minutes.

"No one's going to kill you."

"Except you, who has us fifty feet in the air on an unstable broom!"

Harry came to realize Draco was no longer talking about the war, as it seemed he'd come out of his shock.

"You were having an episode." Harry told him, having to shout over the wind.

"I gathered!" Draco's voice dropped a few octaves and he cleared his throat. "Was it bad?"

"No, not really, I mean you're okay now."

The broom began to plummet. Harry recognized the Hogwarts grounds as they sideswiped the Whomping Willow. Harry managed to pull them in a u-bend, soaring over Hagrid's newly built hut by a hair, hurtling across the land and toward the lake. There they landed underwater, lungs already half filled with the stuff and with no idea which way was up.

Harry felt a large force circle him tightly and wondered if this was the sensation of drowning. It must have been and he must've been dead because the force had pulled him clean out of the water and hurled him toward the spangled sky, he was flying but only for a second before land came near again and he hit it with a nasty crack. A similar occurrence happened near by him, only his broom got handled with any care, as it got placed down neatly on the shore before the placer retracted their giant tentacle and returned to their slumber.

* * *

"I must say I've never been more disappointed in my entire life, and with term starting the day after tomorrow! I've Owled for the life of me trying to find replacements for the two of you and I won't be giving up."

Harry struggled to comprehend, flinching from the immense pounding that threatened to knock him back unconscious.

His vision blurred but from what he peaked at through his lids the room was much too bright.

"Professor?"

"That's headmistress to you!"

"I'm sorry I don't understand."

"It's a miracle for you to understand anything with the amount of times you become unconscious! Another reason for your dismissal!"

"Dismissal! For helping Malfoy?"

Harry tried to sit up so McGonagall could see he was taking the matter seriously.

"Helping? We found the two of you bruised up and bloodied by the lake this morning, don't try and tell me you weren't dueling."

Harry gaped. "Of course not! We would never!" On school property, he added silently to himself.

"Then I suggest you start explaining."

"Has Professor Winesap returned?"

"I assume she has."

"She can help, explain I mean. I was helping Malfoy, I swear, where's my broom?"

The curtain around Harry's bed was thrust aside and there stood Malfoy, Pomfrey and Winesap.

"You need to hear this headmistress." Spoke Pomfrey in a tone that suggested she didn't yet believe the story.

"I can vouch for Malfoy and Potter." Winesap said.

"No need Maligna, Headmistress McGonagall will know the truth if Potter and I are agreeing on it."

McGonagall pursed her lips but nodded for Draco to go on.

"It seems I'm suffering from minor spellshock, a common after effect of the war. Having already witnessed my mother's exclusion from St. Mungo's Maligna doubted they'd receive me so when Potter here noticed I was going into shock she asked he take me back here as we'd gone into Hogsmeade on foot. However Potter being Potter neglected to put an extra stabilizer charm on the broom, which landed us in the lake. It's a Firebolt you see, Quidditch brooms can only hold one passenger."

"But I found them on shore." Madam Pomfrey pointed out.

"The giant squid threw us out." Harry said, remembering the force that had picked him up.

McGonagall sniffed.

"So you agree with his story Harry?"

"Well all except that I _neglected_ to put a stabilizer on the broom, I didn't actually know."

"Claiming ignorance puts you in no better light. I'm blaming you for this as I have told you to avoid Mr. Malfoy. Seeing as you've disobeyed me and put his life in danger you can stay here until tomorrow morning as punishment."

Draco smiled smugly and Harry clenched his fists, a whole day under Pomfrey's restraining care would be torture.

"You're right to leave Draco." McGonagall informed him, getting up from where she had sat beside Harry's bed.

"No he is not!" Pomfrey had swollen up and looked livid.

"Seeing as I could not get a Mungo's healer to see him I'll have to watch him for at least two days and Harry has to stay here until I can reverse all symptoms of concussion.

"You're saying they have to stay in here all day regardless?" McGonagall looked crestfallen.

"Yes! So you can come up with a different punishment for Harry! Something other than quality medical care and attention!"

Harry had never seen the headmistress look so belittled.

"I don't suppose there's any way you could keep them apart?"

An evil glint crossed Pomfrey's face.

"No, in fact for my monitoring to work properly I'll have to keep them together, Professor Malfoy, on that bed."

And Pomfrey summoned over the bed closest to Harry's so they were practically touching. McGonagall paled.

"What are you trying to do? Have them kill each other?"

"These boys are somehow able to pull themselves out of their spellshock, and it seems this happens when they're in each other's presence, this is very necessary."

"I shouldn't allow this."

"But you will!"

McGonagall nodded reluctantly.

Harry looked to Malfoy, the pale wizard said nothing, Harry didn't understand, he was meant to be kicking up a fuss. Then Harry realized why he wasn't, he valued his job, so did Harry in that matter. Sure he had to stay at Hogwarts but McGonagall didn't have to employ him or make things so comfortable. So he stayed quiet until both he and Malfoy were in their respective beds and McGonagall and Winesap had left.

"I hate you." Malfoy hissed.

"I hate me too." Harry sighed.

They fell into silence for a while, both sat with their arms folded and the same look of melancholy on their faces, though neither could see it, they both stared straight ahead.

"You could have left me there and gone back to the school for help." Malfoy pointed out bitterly.

"And what if you'd died?"

"Are you stupid? I came out of the shock, the same thing would have happened if I'd stayed grounded."

Harry shrugged. "What can I say, I guess I panicked."

Draco made a noise of disgust.

"What?"

"Well why do you still insist on playing the hero, you're side's won, get over it."

Harry didn't answer for a while but in the end he felt like he did want to get what he was feeling off his chest after all.

"I don't believe that."

"What? You defeated the Dark Lord and the ministry kept their power, what else do you want?"

Draco seemed furious as Harry chanced a glance at him.

"Well looking back I don't really feel like I had a side, like if I could go back now and have a choice I'd choose neither."

Draco snarled. "Lying Gryffindor, you'd do anything for Dumbledore if he was still alive."

Harry shrugged again. "Well it's not like I'd ever know that but I like to think I wouldn't. When I think back on everything that happened it was such a waste, all history books are going to recall is a quick stamping out of a pureblood-elitist revolution and because of Dumbledore that's been allowed to take over my whole life, I wouldn't choose that for myself...if I could do it all over."

"Yes but in the end you still think good triumphed over evil." Malfoy said in a belittling voice that reminded Harry of exhausted adults explaining things to children.

Harry looked at Malfoy.

"No, how juvenile do you think I am? I know that's not how the world works, not even Voldemort could be simplified as evil."

"Then you didn't have him visiting your house." Draco said darkly.

Harry threw him a serious look. "No, just my head."

For a split second Draco looked apologetic.

"You saw what he did." Draco spoke, grimacing at the memories.

"But he was just one person, the war was between organizations, not just him and me, otherwise why else are you in the hospital wing? The whole of Wizarding Europe became corrupt in some way, and yes before you say it, that includes Dumbledore."

Draco seemed to lose his composure.

"Don't look so shocked, Dumbledore was telling me what to think since I was eleven and he gave me my first real home, I'll always have too much trust in him but he left me in the end. He had as much power as the minister and in all honesty if they hadn't been so busy in their political games to begin with the magical world wouldn't have been so vulnerable to Voldemort initially."

"You're wrong, Voldemort wanted Pureblood supremacy."

"So? And what's wrong with that?"

"Fuck, you've gone mad, where's my wand?"

"Well what I think is, the war was inevitable, the most powerful magical families identify as purebloods and that's because they've been part of this world for a long time and they've made contributions. Some hierarchy should have been established through the ministry long ago instead of letting it go on uncontrolled through social class-systems. Older families could have been given precedence for ministry positions and there could be scholarships into the better schools, you know."

"I have to believe you are incredibly drunk, because in no way, in no universe is the boy who lived speculating on how the Dark Lord could have succeeded."

"I'm not though, he never stood a chance, because he was out of his mind. I mean what chance does someone have if they just out right _ignore _the fact that muggle-born witches and wizards are kind of fundamental to the survival of our kind? Honestly he wanted to go up against muggles who outnumber us a thousand to one whilst simultaneously weakening our own numbers and genetic diversity? He also failed to extend any genuine offer of alliance with other magical races."

Draco made a non-committal sound.

"You actually mean this? You actually see there's honor in being pureblood? That we deserve…"

"Yes."

Draco just nodded; he had never considered that Harry was able to think for himself. Then again it wasn't as if Draco ever thought for himself either.

"What would you want us to do then though? Share schools with mudbloods no doubt, ruin our lineage with marrying them."

To Draco's despair Harry laughed.

"Come on Draco, all witches and wizards start out as mudbloods, the mudbloods of today are the future's purebloods, sure they aren't as much a part of this world as you are but shouldn't families like yours be trying to help bring them into our society instead of shunning them? Like maybe encouraging them to go to school so they and they're children will know magic and be able to make society stronger? Our real enemy is muggles, any magical blood is better than they are, if we could actually build some genuine alliances we wouldn't need the bloody statute of secrecy."

At this Malfoy actually choked, unable to convey his actual shock, of Potter using the word 'mudblood', declaring muggles the enemy _and_ using his first name.

"Don't you agree though? Imagine real Quidditch stadiums in every country and towns like Hogsmeade only there'd be ones for Veela and Vampires and Hags too and the Dragon numbers would go back up because we could build reserves for them, if anything's killing the Wizarding world it's us keeping secret from muggles."

"But you know if they discover us they could destroy us."

"Exactly why we need a strong front, alliances across all magical blood, the secrecy would actually be a benefit for a while, people like Mr. Weasley could study muggle weaponry and we'd invent spells to shield us and disable the weapons. Or better yet we'd use spells to lower the muggle population."

"You don't mean…"

"I mean like potions in their water supplies that decrease their fertility."

Draco breathed out, long and slow.

"Well one thing that doesn't help is this one-heir thing you purebloods do."

"We only need one heir to carry on the name." Draco said defensively.

"Yes but don't you know how to count? Of course you'll dye out, you can't predict human sexuality anyway, isn't it safer to have more kids so if half decide to marry half bloods and muggleborns then you still get some pureblood grandchildren."

"We're not all Weasleys."

"Well maybe you should be."

"Well I for one know my duty, mother's managed to arrange a betrothal, a miracle in itself but at least I'll be carrying on the pureblood line."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"And let me guess you'll have one son and call it quits."

Draco reddened.

"I'm not talking about this with you Harry."

"It's Harry now is it?"

"You've been calling me Draco the past ten minutes, don't pretend you haven't." Draco exclaimed.

"But that is your plan."

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well you call it fulfilling your duty to your lineage but what about your duty to Wizarding-kind in general, you'd be better off marrying a half-blood witch you actually love and having ten kids."

Draco's eyes widened and then he narrowed them.

"What's to say I won't fall in love with my betrothed."

Harry snorted.

"I could."

"You will not, don't even try, it's more likely you'll fall in love with someone else before you ever see her."

Draco didn't say anything.

"When do you see her?"

"In three years, she's finishing her education at Beuxbatons."

Harry barked with laughter. "Then I'm right, you will so be in love with someone else before you meet her and then bully for you because you'll either have to break your own heart or forego your _duty to your lineage_."

"I'm not turning this into a bet with you." Malfoy spat.

"Why not? Because you know I'm right?"

Malfoy snarled.

"Of course you aren't!"

"Then don't bet on it, swear on it."

"Fine, but you have to swear something too."

Harry was half surprised Malfoy was even agreeing.

"What do I need to swear?"

"I don't know yet, give me some time to think."

They lay in silence for almost an hour. It was excruciating for Harry who wondered if the subject had been dropped completely.

"Okay."

Harry sat up as Draco spoke.

"We'll make this more interesting, essentially this is about the differences in our political views, you're saying I'm being a hypocrite going into an arranged marriage and having one heir. So on my part if I'm emotionally unfaithful to the arrangement over the next three years I have to forego it all together?"

Harry nodded.

"Then how about then, if I win and keep my emotions in tact, then you'll have to adopt pureblood values, you'll seek to marry into a pureblood family, you'll uphold pureblood customs, advocate all that bullshit you were on about before on pureblood benefits and should you ever have an heir, raise him as a pureblood."

"I'd say deal but I don't think I'd have an heir I think I'd have _children_ if I ever got married."

"Not if you're upholding pureblood ways."

Harry sighed. "Fine, what kind of magic should we use to finish this?"

"I don't see why a blood oath won't do."

Harry blanched; a blood oath was way beyond protocol for such a situation.

"What? It isn't as if I wouldn't kill you if you went back on this anyway, oh and let's for fun add five hundred galleons into the mix."

"No way."

"Starting to doubt yourself are you Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "It's one thing to put myself through it, not my future family."

Malfoy smirked but his eyes were dead serious as his stare bore into Harry.

"Exactly." The blonde said before he lay down and shut his eyes.

Harry knew he wasn't asleep but he looked so peaceful that he too lay down and shut his eyes.

"We didn't have a witness." Harry pointed out.

"Oh we didn't?"

The smirk was clear in Malfoy's voice.

"Bloody Slytherin." Harry muttered.


	9. Surprise Sorting

_Apologies for the month off and apologies for the short chapter. _

_I was planning to delete this chapter in fact since it hasn't got much in it but reading it over again made me smile so perhaps you will like it too._

___Disclaimer - The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books._

* * *

The two delinquent professor's were released from the hospital wing in time for the Monday night arrivals. The school was prepared and cleaned by mid-day, Harry had no idea how much stress got packed into the small frame of time before the thestrals arrived from Hogsmeade station.

By the time the Hall filled for the feast and Hagrid was ushering in the first years, the professors were all ready to drop into bed and stay there through the following day's classes. There were extra tables in the hall, a small one had Hermione seated at it, Harry had received a brief hug from her before she'd gone to it. Also there were other students he recognized from his own year, mainly Ravenclaw students but also seated there was Luna Lovegood and Denis Creevey.

In fact the other five tables in the room didn't seem to dictate any house or age group in particular. It made Harry smile and he inwardly commended McGonagall for it.

The headmistress stood to address her students.

"Our world has come under a great strain these past years and we have yet to see the end of the destruction it has caused. Our only choice is to look to the future, you are that future and I will not see you swindling away your time or disrespecting your privileges with rule breaking and marauding. Be the fresh start this world needs and lead the change that is coming."

The headmistress took a breath as the students took in what she'd said.

"We have many changes this year, new staff as well as students. More importantly there will be less significance on houses. Your year level will now be your family, with dorms now split into seven, each year you graduate you will find yourselves in a new dormitory, this way you will have more varied peer groups to aid your study and there will be no unnecessary rivalry. As for houses they will be appointed to each Quidditch team, we will have two divisions of Quidditch teams, junior teams for first to third years and senior Quidditch teams for third years and beyond. There can be up to eight Quidditch teams in these divisions and anyone can choose to captain one if they can find the players before next week. As for sorting, I have been in a number of meetings with our hat and whilst he has informed me he has a plan he also wishes for it to be a surprise. I am extremely curious, therefore would the first years please enter."

A timid group of children entered, much more than Harry had expected, in fact he figured it out numbered any other year level by at least double.

"Arnson, Amynome."

The very tiny girl had to push her way out of her peer group who stood a head above her. She barely made it to the seat without help before the hat was placed over her head by Firenze.

The hat chucked manically.

"Gryffinpuff! Go and sit where you want!"

The girl squeaked as the centaur removed the hat and she took the first seat she came to.

"Arnson, Benjamin." A boy just as small came up this time.

"Slytherclaw!"

A house the next boy, Alcott, Raymond was put into as well. Blippet, Nadia was placed in ordinary Slytherin then Bucket, Jane was put in Slytheravendor. Christmas, Fiona was put in Ravenclaw and Cryke, Andrew became a Gryffindor but everyone reacted as Curley, Peter became the first Gryffleslytherclaw. Silence followed as the hat was taken off Peter, a large boy with blond hair. He sat there blinking for a moment and then everyone cheered. The sound burst Harry's ears as he found himself cheering too. He, like everyone else supposed that the boy had equal traits of all four houses and that was a marvelous thing.

Day, Samantha somehow became a Slytherpuff which left everyone confused, less so than Dibbon, Cepheus becoming a Huffleclaw right after Darke, Allimon became a Ravenpuff.

Very few were put into regular houses, King, Rexheart was put in Gryffindor so quickly Harry supposed it beat Malfoy's sorting record and entire clan of cousins by the surname Wintercliff all became steadfast Ravenclaws, which seemed to suit their pasty sallow skin and wide staring eyes.

Poor Trott, Maledonna was the only first year put into Hufflepuff.

By the time Zhan, Michael was called and placed in Slytherdor only half the students had been sorted.

"We have additional students joining us this year, transfers as well as the previously home-taught. They are all to be welcomed warmly as we are privileged to be extending our school to them. We shall begin with second years."

Griswold, Newton was put in Slytherin and Lynch, Bree became another Slytherdor, a surprisingly popular combination.

There were quite a few third years and by this time Harry wasn't paying close attention.

Therefore Blackfish, Mathew was sitting up there for an unusually long time before Harry looked. A small boy in large muggle clothes and black messy hair, Harry's stomach flipped, the thirteen year old even had glasses.

"I can't decide between Slytherdor or Gryfferin." The hat grumbled at him. "So you can be a new house, what will it be called?"

The boy looked absolutely mortified, the situation was uncanny and Harry noticed a few people who knew him well such as Hermione and Neville were gaping at him.

"Um…." The boy looked as if he had absolutely no idea what to do.

"Dragon?" He squeaked, the hat barked with laughter.

"Come on you can do better than that!"

"Dragon…wing?"

"Brilliant!"

"And, and our colors will be silver and black."

"Very well."

"And red!"

"Good."

"And yellow?"

"Enough! You're in Dragonwing, next!"

The next student who came up was Dacron, Summer. She marched up to the stool and sat, before the sorting hat got a word in she declared.

"I want to be in Dragonwing too!"

The hat humped.

"Very well does anyone else want to be in Dragonwing?"

Not only did many of the students waiting to be sorted raise their hands but also so did many of the students already seated around the hall.

"Very well your all in Dragonwing!"

"May I be in Moonfrog house?" Asked a very familiar voice.

"Who said that?"

"Me." Replied Luna.

"Very well you're now in Moonfrog, anyone else in Moonfrog?"

Everyone's hands remained down.

"Our colors can be pink and green." Luna suggested as though she thought that would entice people.

"She doesn't even go to this school anymore!" Someone shouted out.

"Anyone?" The hat asked again, ignoring the shout.

Harry felt himself raising his hand, at this at least four or so others raised their hands too.

"You're all in Moonfrog." The hat declared.

After that Frost, Larissa going into Slytherin set the mood back to dull. Eventually Sidebottom, Margot, a new fifth year was told, to her apparent dread, that she was definitely a Moonfrog, which ended the sorting.

Harry's vague count told him there were nineteen new houses, twenty-three in total, there were still Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, then there were Slytherpuff, Slytherclaw, Slytherdor, Hufflein, Huffleclaw, Huffledor, Ravenin, Ravenpuff, Ravendor, Gryfferin, Gryfferpuff, Gryffinclaw, Slytherhuffleclaw, Griffleslytherclaw, Slytherravendor, Gryffenravenpuff, HuffleGryfferin, Dragonwing and Moonfrog.

He was now in Moonfrog and Luna had enthusiastically drawn their new mascot, a purple fury beast that looked like an _engorgio'd_ pigmy puff with two curly horns and chicken-like legs. Hermione had convinced her to make the colors pink and gold and so a glorious swirly background backed the Crumple-Horned Snorlack.

Denis who was also a new Moonfrog member seemed pleased with the design.

"Did you see my nephew?"

Harry was half surprised to see he was seated next to Nightingale; she was extremely beautiful up close.

"Princle Valentine, he's my sister's boy but I think he looks like me, he went into Dragonwing with that Mathew."

Harry smiled and nodded even though he hadn't seen him.

"What house are you in?" He asked his fellow professor. She looked thoughtful.

"I don't know, I suppose I'll just go in Moonfrog like you, that design is awfully pretty."

Luna, possibly with Hermione's help had managed to float to picture over to the wall where the original house banners hung and stuck it there beside them.

"It's a Crumple-Horned Snorlack." Harry informed Nightingale, making her laugh.

"Of course it is! My goodness, we'll need a Quidditch team right away, you should get one together, they can be called the Snorlacks."

Harry smiled.

"I'm sure the head of the house will make sure that happens, I don't think it'd be fair if I got involved, being Flying professor."

Nightingale went to say something else but was interrupted as McGonagall stood back up.

"Well that was a surprise. It doesn't seem very likely there will be any head of houses seeing as our teaching staff doesn't amount to twenty-three. I have no idea how a point system will work, I suppose you can all continue earning points individually, I don't see why not, I'll apologize to Peter Curley in advance for your obvious disadvantage."

The large first year smiled and shrugged but Harry saw a definite glint of determination in his eyes.

"For now just eat, I'm sure it will all sort itself out in time."

The tables quickly filled with food, and to Harry's delight this included the table in front of him.

Nightingale kept up conversation with him, which made things quite awkward as he always seemed to have his mouth filled when she asked a question.

Finally she finished yet another story about Princle and before she could ask Harry another question he got up.

"This night has been so weird. I need a whole nights sleep to get through tomorrow, I'll see you another time."

She offered him a weak smile, which Harry returned before leaving.

"What's wrong with you?" A small voice whispered harshly.

Harry looked startled at Neville who was at the end of the table.

"Sorry?"

"Don't you like her?" Neville discretely pointed his fork toward Nightingale.

"Of course…"

Neville shook his head.

"Good luck with class tomorrow."

Harry gave his thanks and went to leave the great hall for good.

"Not so fast!"

McGonagall's voice compelled him toward her.

"Since the students are no longer living in houses, the first years need to be taken to their dorms and since they're in the old Gryffindor tower you will do it."

Harry nodded, trying not to look too tired.

"I need you to check on the second years on the way back too, I've made Jade Montague their head of year and I don't think she's so conscientious that she'll make sure everyone knows the password."

Harry nodded again.

"Would you like to know where the second year dormitories are?"

"Oh, yes I suppose so."

McGonagall pursed her lips.

"Sixth floor, left-wing tower."

Harry nodded.

"And I _suppose _you also want the passwords?"

"Yes headmistress."

"For the first years, Monkswood and the second years, Sheep Skin."

"First years Monkswood, second years Sheep Skin." Harry repeated back to her."

"Very well, remember you are a professor now and a role model to these students, not unlike your days here as a student yourself. No poor behavior will be tolerated. Your first class will be tomorrow morning and many eyes are watching you closely."

"I understand."

"Well hurry up the First years should have been in bed long ago."

"Right…FIRST YEARS COME WITH ME!"

Harry rounded up the eleven year olds whose flushed and tired faces suddenly became a bit brighter as their world's hero called them to him. The headmistress watched them leave with amusement and felt suddenly a stab of emotional pain as she saw how very much older Harry was to the tiny things he was leading from the hall. It didn't seem too long ago that he was one of them.


	10. First Class Theft

_A/N_ -_ I was supposed to post this much earlier to accompany the previous, short chapter. Unfortunately where I am right now the internet turns off every night and at night is when I remember to write/edit/post._

_Good news, I've started writing this story again! It's difficult keeping up with this one and SM but as long as I alternate it's manageable. _

___Disclaimer - The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books._

* * *

It was bright and early. He'd skipped breakfast. He'd woken up before the sunrise without any magical aid and gotten dressed with precision. Until now Harry hadn't been too worried, training had been fun, intense but fun and he had no doubts of being able to train young witches and wizards to fly. Only in the light of day was reality setting in.

He had no idea how to do this or where to begin! This was all going to end in disaster and he knew it. McGonagall would blame herself for giving him the job, parents would send him howlers he'd be embarrassed in front of the other professors. Besides not being able to swallow a single mouthful of breakfast Harry needed to get to his office. All his notes from the past week were there, safety drills, step by step class plans, the dot points for getting through the broom shed security charms, everything that had seemed so simple was now illegible.

Taking a deep shaky breath he noted there was at least another hour and a half before class began, the students would be in the Hall for breakfast still, McGonagall would be down there, watching over them.

He had four rolls of parchment for the First year classes he was to teach, he had Monday's class' in front of him, nineteen students. There would be eleven on Tuesday, eighteen on Wednesday and only eight on Friday, he was going to like Fridays.

McGonagall had explained in one of the staff meetings how the new classes worked, that the students in older year levels would be situated by what classes they selected to do but for First years whose classes were compulsory there was a complex sort of mixture where no two students shared too many classes and everyone belonged to a different house. Not that it would be hard due to the earlier night's sorting. McGonagall would have had to have organized all of those time-tables in one night, Harry supposed Flitwick may have come up with a charm but even still it would have been a lot of work, what he had to do was nothing really compared to that. He felt a little better.

So his first day and his biggest class, he had extra notes from McGonagall, reminding him not to let any student become excluded, when it was acceptable to allow them bathroom breaks and when they could ask questions, plus he had Hooch's scrolls of rules.

But always first was the broom shed, first and last, take off the charms, put them back on, the charms wouldn't work unless all the brooms were back and safe. If they weren't the shed wouldn't lock and the professor who lifted the charms in the first place would be compelled make sure they all returned.

He could deal with that, all he needed to do was lift the charms, then he'd just set out the brooms for class and it would all come to him after that.

It didn't, it was thirty minutes for class to start and Harry was feeling sick. How was this responsible? Leaving him in charge? He had no idea what to do, he could kill someone today, not just someone! A child!

He took a deep breath, looking over the straight formation of brooms, two rows facing each other.

Address the class. Get them to address you. Take down their names. Explain flying. Teach them 'up'. Correct their handling. Teach them 'hover'. Teach them 'mount'. If there's time let them fly a few feet off the ground one at a time.

He repeated that three or four times before his brain changed it.

But if someone's broom gets out of control you'll have to rescue him or her. Leaving eighteen kids unattended with their brooms. Someone might do something dangerous. If someone falls the whole class has to go to the hospital wing. You can't leave a first year unattended with a broom. What if they don't like you? What if they play up? What if one of them flies into the air even though you told them not to? Nothing's stopping them.

Harry pulled a fistful of scrolls out of his pockets and began to go through them in a frenzy. He ended up just focusing on the little speech he intended for them after he took their names.

"Flying is probably the most noble way a magical person can travel, it's almost impossible to interfere with and the magic doesn't control your body, your body controls it. Once you learn to fly many possibilities are opened up to you, Of course I mean Quidditch and for those of you who pay attention I'll hope to see you in Hogwarts new junior league…"

It all sounded so dry and clumsy now, how could he possibly read this out without sounding rehearsed?

It was too late, they were coming. Marching two-by-two out of the castle and down to the shed, they looked excited and happy, some half running and skipping. Harry didn't know if this was a good thing or not. He stood waiting with his arms crossed, should he be stern? Let them know straight away whose boss or be friendly and hope to Merlin they don't take advantage of it. Godric, they were close now, and they were staring at him expectantly, what was he to say?

"Good morning class, I'm your Flying Professor, Professor Potter."

"Good morning Professor Potter." They chorused, except one witch who stood still with her mouth open. Harry didn't really notice this.

"Alright, so I'm going to take down your names so I know everyone's here. When I call you out you can answer however you want, Okay?"

He got some enthusiastic nods in reply.

From Raymond Alcott to Nerada Yates everyone was "here." "Present." Or in Cepheus Dibbon's case "Pumpkin!"

"Flying is the most noble way a magical person can travel, because the magic is on the broom and not affecting yourself. You have complete control over it. Some of you will have natural talent and others will need to work harder to figure it out and let's not pretend that we don't know what it's all for, I hope to see you all trying out for the junior Quidditch league. I believe you'll all be able to play well if you pay attention and put your minds to it."

This earned him a rather adept cheer, which put him back as he hadn't thought his slightly improvised speech to be that inspirational.

"Err…right, well we need to start with the basics so everyone sand next to a broom. It doesn't matter which one Frost." He told a blonde little girl trying to push past a boy to get to an ordinary Clean sweep.

"Dibbon, you know that isn't a broom." It seemed Cepheus was going to cause trouble, the freckled lad was standing proudly by a fallen branch, a good few yards away from the group.

"If you can fly that I'll be impressed but I doubt you'll make it onto a pitch any year soon."

Dibbon shrugged and came back to the snickering group.

"Alright, first is summoning your broom, it's simple enough but the challenge isn't in the command but your intention behind it. You have to make yourself feel relaxed on the inside, remember you don't have to fly today if you don't want to."

At least one young witch and one young wizard seemed to let out a relieved breath at this statement.

"Hold your hand out like this." Harry said demonstrating. "And say up."

Cepheus was one of the two whose brooms flew to their hands without the verbal command, the other Harry hadn't noticed until now, he should have recognized the name on the scroll, it was Mathew Blackfish, the boy who reminded him so much of himself.

"Professor, Professor! Look I did it!" A light little voice called, he looked to see Lucy Frost dancing on her toes.

"Does this mean I'll get to be a seeker like you."

"We'll see."

Harry walked around the group slowly, three students hadn't managed the task yet, in all their cases they weren't loud enough, with a little prompting they got the brooms to obey.

"Well done to Blackfish and Dibbon, I can see that natural talent I was talking about earlier, but don't make any mistake, if you don't pay attention your classmates will surpass you." He said as Frost had put her broom down, now for the third time and was getting it to jump up, not only without the command but she had also decided to shut her eyes.

Now everyone hold the handle in what you think is the correct place. Nerada Yates and Ferdinand Plath were two of the three who hadn't been able to command their brooms. Giving each other a straight look, they both placed their brooms on the ground.

"That's quite enough." Harry told them.

"You can't let your fears rule you, pick the brooms back up and you will give this a try. Do you understand?"

"Yes professor." They said sullenly.

The only student who had their grip perfect was Lucy, Harry felt afraid to tell her, as she seemed to already know and looked ready to burst with excitement.

"Well done Frost-"

"Oh I knew it!" She danced a bit again.

"Good one goosey." Cepheus commended her and corrected his own grip.

Blackfish who almost had it followed suit.

"Now we hover…may I?"

Harry borrowed Florence Montgomery's broom and made it hover.

"See, I guarantee you will be able to do this, the trick is stabilizing it enough so that it can hold you. Now if each of you can get it stable enough to mount it I'll let some of you fly. Of course some may wish to stay grounded for today and that's fine with me."

He handed the broom back to Montgomery.

"Go!"

Blackfish was the first to get on his broom closely followed by Dibbon, then Frost. It seemed Yates, Plath and David Forteshire were the last, when they were finally seated on their brooms they eyed Harry suspiciously as if he was about to push their brooms up into the sky.

"Can I fly now professor?" Frost cried out, toes barely skimming the ground, which he'd told them to stay standing on.

"I suppose we have enough time for everyone who wants a go to have one, since Blackfish got on his broom first he can go.

Mathew gave a shy smile.

"Lucy can go first…" He said.

"No! If you let Goose off the ground she won't come back!" Dibbon exclaimed.

"Why would you want her back?" Leo McGuiness muttered darkly to Cepheus. Harry heard it though and sent him a glare.

"McGuiness, you can form the back of the line, everyone else who wants to fly, line up behind Blackfish, Dibbon and Frost."

Everyone did besides Yates, Forteshire and Plath.

It was nice to see, everyone did quite well, even though Frost went a little overboard and put in a quick loop-the-loop, there was still a good ten minutes left when McGuiness was grounded again.

"Can I have another go?" Frost asked excitedly.

"I'd like to go up too." Blackfish added, he seemed to be in his element on the broom and seemed disappointed to come back down.

"I suppose I haven't had a go yet." Said a shaky voice and Harry looked to see Ferdinand Plath, broom in hand, standing by his classmates with a look of determination on his face.

"I'm glad you're having a go Plath, do you remember how to make the broom hover?"

Ferdinand nodded and managed to get on the broom quickly albeit clumsily.

"Right now all you need to do is push off-"

The boy shot off the ground like a cork out of a bottle, he zoomed into the air and Harry could distinctly hear him shouting "WOO HOO!" At the top of his lungs, had a student just tricked him?

Plath managed a loop-the-loop before Harry got the presence of mind to yell at him.

"GET BACK DOWN THIS INSTANT PLATH!"

The broom jerked around and pointed at them, before zooming full-pelt at the class.

"I CAN'T STOOOOOOOP!"

Was what Harry and everyone else heard before the boy flew off the broom.

Harry pointed his wand and without thinking cast a wordless spell.

Only after Plath landed did he realize what it was, _Aresto Momentum_. The broom had stopped too. Harry grasped it and put it down before going over to check on his student.

"Would you care to explain?"

Plath was lying on his back, panting and eyes bugging out of his head.

"I was never allowed to fly before. Mother said was dangerous. Not allowed. But it was…brilliant!"

Harry knew he had to take the boy to the hospital wing now and he hated him for it. What a disaster to happen on the first day! He'd told the class at least twenty times how to slow and stop a broom before and whilst they were flying. He supposed Plath hadn't listened or it had all gone out of his head as soon as he'd hit the skies.

"Everyone put down your brooms and form your lines."

"What? Why?"

"Yeah, how come?"

"The bell hasn't gone yet!"

Harry resisted rolling his eyes.

"We're taking Mr. Plath to the hospital wing, quickly, in front of me now please."

Grudgingly the students lined up and they all began walking back to the castle, leaving behind the nineteen brooms Harry had got out that morning. It was the right thing to do and what Hooch had told him to do, but it still left him feeling like he was in dangerous waters, Hinkypunk waters.

Plath was fine. In the infirmary Pomfrey shook her head, after checking over the boy. She sent the students off to their next classes.

"Harry, you're going to have students fall, you can't bring them in here each time when there's nothing wrong with them."

"But I-"

"I understand you were just being careful, but have you ever known a careful year in this school? I've had three poisoned second years in here this morning alone."

Harry's face looked confused.

"Herbology." Pomfrey elaborated.

"Now go and lock the broom shed, McGonagall will need you to begin organizing the new Quidditch leagues."

Harry nodded and left dejectedly. Here he was thinking he was doing the right thing and Madam Pomfrey was telling him to be less concerned. He didn't think that had ever happened in the history of Hogwarts.

He got to the broom shed and found all the deserted brooms; using his wand he began levitating them into the shed. He went to shut the door. It wouldn't budge. Going inside he counted the brooms twenty-three, there was meant to be a total of twenty-four. He felt the cold grip of panic take hold. Shit, where was the missing broom? He ran back outside and looked for the broom, running out so far it became ridiculous. The broom just wasn't there. He hoped it hadn't flown away.

The worse case scenario would be if it had been stolen, but by who? It would have been a first year; after all, any other year could bring their own brooms from home. What was he going to do?

He waved his wand at the shed and found he couldn't place any of the locking charms, of course he couldn't, a broom was missing.

He had to stay there and guard the shed, for goodness knows how long, while goodness knows how many Quidditch applications were being sent to his office. He needed to organize Tuesday's captain's tryouts and Wednesday's team tryouts and then the actual games, negotiating practice sessions on the pitch whilst teaching classes. His magic flared, as he thought angrily how he didn't have time for this.

He paced around the shed, it would be lunch soon, would the broom thief have the gall to show up then? No they'd probably wait for after classes when it was getting dark. Another magic flare, so he'd be here all day?

The thought came that he should _Accio_ the forms. He'd never actually seen them, it would be near impossible, but he'd have to try, he'd need the forms and a self-inking quill.

He closed his eyes; if this didn't work he was going to lose it.

"What are you doing?"

It was the last drawl he ever wanted to hear.

"If you must know I'm trying to summon the Quidditch captain applications so I can go through them."

Malfoy raised an eyebrow.

"But they're in your office." He helped out.

"Well I can't get to my office right now!"

"Why not? Have you forgotten your password? It's not still Pegasus is it?"

Harry gaped for a moment. "How did you…the broom shed wont…HOW DO YOU KNOW MY BLOODY PASSWORD?"

Malfoy snickered.

"Calm down Potter, that was everyone's password before those of us with some intelligence changed it. What about the broom shed?"

"It won't lock."

"You should probably shut the door."

"The door won't shut until all the brooms are away and one's stolen. Why are you here anyway?"

"Look, despite your rudeness I'll tell you. McGonagall needed someone to send you to her office, she's very busy but wants to help you with organizing the captaincy tryouts, I volunteered because I wanted to have a word with you about that myself."

Harry cringed, so now he was keeping the headmistress waiting as well.

"Tell me then." He stated, glaring at the ground.

"During my brief captaincy in fifth year I had a chaser, Brevelo Montague, he was a third year then. I implore you to give him special consideration to captain one of your senior teams."

"Look, he'll get as much consideration as everyone else, you'll need to tell McGonagall I'm stuck out here until the broom is returned."

Draco's face turned livid but he managed to stay mildly composed.

"It seems more straight forward terms are required to get through your thick skull! Do you think I would come out here to plead this players case, to _you _of all people if I thought he could get captaincy under his own merit?"

"What's wrong with him then? Do you think I wouldn't let him become captain just because he's Slytherin?"

"I wouldn't put it past you." Draco scowled. "But I don't think he's applied."

"Why not?"

"He has a…special friend who wants to be a captain and Montague wants to be in their team. In a very un-Slytherin manner he's letting this friend become captain and he plans to try out for seeker on Wednesday."

"Well why not let him do that?"

"Because." Draco growled. "His friend isn't a Slytherin, and because of McGonagall's new scheme of things, that means Montague won't be playing in honor of his house which also means that my house probably won't even have a team this year."

"So?" Harry asked, non-phased.

"How would you feel if Gryffindor doesn't get a team?"

"I'm not a Gryffindor, remember?" Harry asked with an evil grin, and then he added with mock-pride. "I'm a Moonfrog."

Draco tried very hard not to smile.

"There will be a team for Slytherin, for all you know Montague will apply for captaincy after all. He doesn't owe his friend, I'm sure he'll do what is right."

"Definitely not." Draco growled.

"You can't know that!" Harry cried exasperated.

"Yes I can. One. He is a Slytherin so he'll do what is his best interest and. Two. I found him and his friend snogging outside the sixth year corridor."

Harry snickered.

"That's hilarious, who is she?"

Draco gave him a funny look. "His name's Ethan Bexley."

Harry knew Bexley; he'd swapped his Viktor Krum figurine with him, for Ron's Chudley Cannon's card.

"That's the exploding snap champion." He stated stupidly, remembering the younger student in the tournament.

So the Ravenclaw boy was snogging a Slytherin, Draco had definitely said boy, Brevelo Montague, two wizards. That was unexpected. Harry decided to show indifference, Malfoy was probably expecting some immature response of discomfort and indignant questions.

"Montague? Wasn't he your captain, he should be in his twenties now."

"No, you're thinking of Graham, he's Brevelo's older brother."

Harry laughed.

"Oh yeah he's the one the twins shoved into the…"

He abruptly stopped talking as both wizards experienced equal stabs of pain. Harry had just managed to bring up two painful memories of the war. Montague had been shoved into the vanishing cabinet. His accounts of it had allowed Malfoy to figure out how to use it. Also remembering the twins while Fred was alive was something Harry couldn't quite bare yet.

Harry swallowed.

"I'm so sorry."

Draco just nodded, he looked like he wanted to say something, to scowl or jibe or anything, but he couldn't.

"Are you going to summon the captaincy applications? I might as well see if you're right and Montague had applied after all."

Harry nodded and cast Accio, concentrating on what he thought they might look like.

All that came flying to him was his quill.

"What in Merlin's name is wrong with you?"

"Shut it, Draco, I don't actually know what they look like."

Draco sighed and closed his eyes, in seconds the piles of parchment were soaring toward them.

"You really are a sorry excuse for Flying professor."

He handed the parchment over, then he transfigured Cepheus Dibbon's log into a thin desk and summoned it.

"You're really good at magic." Harry stated surprised, he always felt a bit full of himself when he easily cast wordless magic and he was annoyed Draco could do it too.

"Potter, stop insulting me with your surprise, of course I can do wordless magic, I was in a war."

Harry nodded; at least they were even with bringing it up. Draco beckoned for Harry to put down the parchment so he could wave his wand over them.

The sheets shuffled as though by an invisible wind, then arranged into piles, almost thirty, Harry noted.

"Just as I suspected, he didn't apply." Draco walked over to he table, picking up two substantially large piles.

"Well these are who applied for Slytherin teams, not a bad lot." He put down the piles. "I'd suggest Adelaide Murton, it's unorthodox she being a witch and a half blood but the other's don't have a mind for strategy or leadership, they'll play well."

"Any advice for the junior team."

"I couldn't care less to be honest." Draco cast a finding charm.

"Bexely's applied for an original team, how quaint. Winged Serpents, is that supposed to be cryptic? So I suppose Montague will be playing for them, although it seems Glossop and Brownstone are also going for captain."

The bell sounded for the end of lunch.

"Well Potter, I have to get back to teaching a real class, third years at that, I don't expect you to understand. As it is I don't have time to inform McGonagall myself, you'll have to explain why she had to wait when the broom is returned."

As Draco was walking away a large silver stag zoomed past him, almost bowling him over. Had Potter just shot a spell as him? He whirled around to face the grinning wizard.

"Never mind, I told her myself."

Draco looked bewildered; he'd been able to cast the patronus with the gleeful thought, knowing Draco would look as shocked.

"I've got to go." The blonde repeated and half-ran back to the castle.

Harry sighed, standing at the table, at least he had something to do now the rest of the day. And maybe now McGonagall had his patronus she'd come out and help him.

He was half way through the junior league applications when a silver cat reached him.

"If I wasn't so amused I would lecture you. Make sure you have the trials sorted by tomorrow, remember there will only be eight teams per league, you will have to pick which teams will be legitimate and inform the students who's teams you abolish. I hope the broom is returned."

Harry cringed, that was right, only sixteen teams, and he had twenty-eight. There were nineteen senior teams which captaincies were applied for and nine for the juniors, he didn't know how to do this, he supposed the most logical method would be to abolish the teams where only one application was put in, but that wasn't fair either, what if only one person was eligible for captain but there was a large team waiting to join them, he really needed those applications as well but they would be going to the captain he chose in this round.

Inspiration stuck him as he was going through the teams. Beside each other he had placed Slytherclaw and Raverin. Only one had applied as team Raverin but three for Slytherclaw, he joined the two teams, then he added the one who'd applied for Slytherin-Ravenclaw (as was written on the application)

Then he combined Gryffinpuff and Huffledor (one captaincy application each).

He still had sixteen, twice as many teams as he wanted, he knew the teams that needed to stay, Moonfrog, he was surprised had a team, made up of different houses, and Dragonwing had the largest number of applications, ten to Slytherines nine. Ravenclaw only had one application so he combined that with the previous Slytherclaw group. It seemed the original Hufflepuff didn't have any captaincy applications but there were the applications for Huffleclaw, Gryffinpuff, Slytherpuff, Hufflein, Huffledor and Hufflegryfferin. Harry combined all six. That was easy.

Last were the three original teams, the Winged Serpents, Honeybees and Foul Bludgers.

Moonfrog

Gryffindor

Huff

Slytherclaw

Dragonwing

Slytherin

Winged Serpents

Honeybees

Foul Bludgers.

In a stroke of wisdom he got the nine Slytherin captains and the five Gryffindors and combined them.

And then another thought struck him, he'd give each team a co-captain, he'd pick the best captain for this new Slytherin-Gryffindor team and then the co-captain would be from the opposing house. He grinned at this prospect.

He cast tempest to see that classes were only half way through. He didn't mind however, he would gladly go through these eight new teams and profile the applicants.

Chancing a look at the nine junior teams he shuffled the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams together again. There would be no house rivalry on his watch.

The day was growing dark. Harry had already gone through all the applications nine times over and was pretty sure he knew who he'd be looking out for tomorrow afternoon. Placing the applications back together he shrunk them and put them in his robes pocket, then he transfigured Draco's table into a chair and sat on it to watch the sun set over the forest.

He sat like that in a calm state for some time before his thoughts seeped back into his mind.

_I suppose they'll bring the broom back after they've flown it_.

Was one such thought, followed by, _flown it_? An unaccompanied eleven year old, flying a broom, where would they fly it?

The answer was the Quidditch pitch; he'd idly watched a group of students walk toward there not two minutes ago, weren't they meant to be in the Hall for dinner?

Harry sprung to his feet, flinging out his wand he pointed it at the shed and summoned out the closest Clean sweep and mounted it. He shot off toward the pitch, urging the broom to go faster. There was someone in the air, very high up, and they were very small, small enough to be first years, Harry tried to urge the broom faster, it just wasn't like his Firebolt.

The student on the broom lapped the pitch, they shot up vertically and then attempted to loop-the-loop. All at once time slowed down as child and broom separated. Harry's thoughts left him, no time for magic and spells. They were falling. They would land there. _They were a snitch_. Harry plummeted into a Wronsky Feint, pointing at where the student would be, and there they were, in his hold as he managed to pull out of the dive one-handed.

The small girl had fainted, as Harry's hearing came back he heard her friends in hysterics.

"Lucy! Oh Merlin! Lucy is she dead?"

Of course it was Lucy Frost, who else would it be? Harry shakily got off the broom; worried his suddenly weak arms wouldn't be able to hold the girl. Three other students ran over.

"What were you thinking?" He asked them.

One girl dropped to the ground and wailed another managed to talk through broken sobs.

"Sh-she said she needed to practice f-for t-t-t-t…" The girl had to catch her breath. "TOMORROW!" She began to wail too.

All the girls were first years, only one he recognized as Florence Montgomery, from his class that day, but not the others.

"Did one of you two steal this broom?" He asked them. He tried to recognize their houses from their ties, a green, silver and blue one, so a Slytherclaw and a pink and gold, a Moonfrog, he was surprised, Montgomery was a regular Gryffindor, she wasn't acting like it though.

"I'm taking her to the infirmary but first we have to take these brooms back to the shed."

"Can't it wait?" Asked the Slytherclaw.

"Apparently not." Harry said darkly and he gestured for the girls to pick up the brooms. He continued to carry Frost until they were all the way back at the broom shed, he got the girls to put the brooms inside and finally he was able to lock it and awkwardly place the charms whilst one hand cradled Frost, whom he suspected had woken up.

They walked back to the school through darkness and none of the witches said a word, only sniffled and hiccupped.

Finally inside the infirmary Harry explained everything he knew to Pomfrey, and then repeated the account to McGonagall. The headmistress tried to get information out of the girls but they simply broke down and she was forced to send them to bed.

Pomfrey came out from behind the curtain and whispered to Harry and McGonagall.

"The girl's awake, I doubt she ever really fainted to begin with, do you need to talk to her?"

McGonagall pursed her lips.

"Yes we most certainly do."

Toward the bed she marched, followed by Harry, to find Frost lying down, looking dazedly off to one side.

"Frost! Do you care to tell me how you got a hold of that broom?" McGonagall asked.

Frost looked at her as if only just recognizing her.

"Oh, headmistress! I'm afraid I can't remember all of it."

"Did and older student give it to you?"

"No!" Came a quick reply.

"Then one of your class mates?"

"No, no they didn't"

"So you must have taken it."

Frost gulped. "I must have." She said slowly.

Harry had the inkling she was lying but McGonagall took it as enough and turned to Harry triumphantly.

"There you are Harry, all yours to deal with."

"What!" Harry sputtered.

"She's in your house?"

"My house?"

"Oh yes, I was going to tell you that when you came to my office, you're head of Moonfrog house, it's been a complicated run but I think I've got a system to work, you're also head of Gryfferin."

Harry definitely didn't like the sound of that, Gryfferin students, manipulative and resourceful but not afraid of anything, especially not trouble.

Harry looked down at Frost's pink and gold tie with resentment.

"Am I in trouble professor?" Frost asked in a weak voice, large blue eyes welling with tears.

That wouldn't work on Harry, his heart was still pounding and bile still sat in his throat. Frost was a heedless force that needed to be stopped as soon as possible; she'd already almost got herself killed on the first day, what was that saying to the other students if he let her off?

"You have no idea how much trouble you're in Lucy Frost! Taking advantage of a vulnerable moment in class to steal school property and then breaking several school rules to make a spectacle of yourself and almost get killed! You're lucky I'm not expelling you."

"You're not?" She squeaked, face now pale from realizing her tears hadn't worked.

"No, it wouldn't be enough of an example! I need you here so every day students can remember that the school rules are there to keep them safe."

Lucy whimpered.

"I think Filch is getting tired in his old age, he's been through a lot this past year and no doubt he's in need of help, get used to having your breakfast early Frost because every day for the rest of the _year _you'll be helping him clean this school from dawn until the start of class."

Frost burst into tears and Harry felt like an evil git.

"And if anyone stops and asks you why you're doing it you tell them exactly what happened, that you _stole _and you risked your life and warn them that you were lucky that I let you off from expulsion and the next student I see in my house flaunting school rules I will send them home faster than they can say Quidditch."

Frost stopped crying and nodded her head. "Yes." She said shakily. "Thank you for not expelling me."

Harry nodded back and spun on his heal, swooping out of the room in such a perfect manner someone might have mistaken him for another dark-haired teacher who used to stalk within those same walls, but only if they squinted very hard.


	11. Malevolent Potions

A/N - _This chapter is a personal favourite._

_Warning - lemon fun time but seriously there is some content of a sexual nature so if you selected M rating by mistake (not likely) or a relative is in the room (more likely) then save this one for later._

_____Disclaimer - The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books._ _  
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* * *

After dishing out the harsh punishment Harry made up his mind to seek McGonagall. He gave her the captaincy lists and she agreed with his choices, none of the original houses had a team yet they were all represented.

The following day went better than Harry had anticipated. It seemed all his trouble makers were in his Monday class whilst his Tuesday class consisted of timid students who avoided socialising.

The tryouts went exactly as expected, Harry had organised makeshift teams to see each applicant in their usual position. His theory was that the natural leaders would naturally begin to captain the other players. When a team began playing dreadfully he knew there was more than one strong leader playing amongst them. Only a few teams had potential captains of similar caliber. Dragonwing had three outstanding prospects who Harry couldn't begin to differentiate and two of the Honeybee's potential captains caught his eye but he was already leaning toward Eliot Corner who was older.

On a whim he stood up in the stand where he watched them and informed the flyers that there would be co-captaincies this year. Then he made it sound as if abolishing the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams wasn't his idea completely which made their acceptance easier, only one or two shouted angrily from their brooms. Each senior wizard and witch flew with talent and grace, he asked them one at a the to join him in the stands to ask them a few questions to profile them and see if they had what it took to take charge of a team.

He walked back to the castle, there was no staff meeting that night. McGonagall was just too busy. He paused as he saw a student running toward him.

She was a Slytherin, maybe in third or fourth year, she was holding something.

"Professor Longbottom told me to give this to you."

She passed him a warm mug and then was gone, adding. "He said you looked stressed!"

Harry wished she'd given him time to thank her; he'd have to go and talk to Neville. He'd barely spoken two words to his comrade since arriving.

Turning toward the greenhouses he sipped the tea, but it wasn't tea, it tasted marvelous like chocolate, vanilla and mint all at once. It was frothy and creamy and it made him feel relaxed and happy.

It was fantastic; he sped toward the greenhouses now, gulping the drink faster until to his dismay it was gone. Pushing through the doors he called out.

"Neville?"

Surrounded by potted, humming cacti, Neville looked up surprised from the jar of throat lozenges he held in his hand.

"Harry." He greeted, giving a polite smile.

"Hello Neville, I just thought I'd pop in and thank you for the drink."

"Hmm?" Neville asked, popping a lozenge between a cactus's jaws.

"This drink." He held up the mug. "What was in it by the way, some type of herb or plant? Where can I get some?"

Neville dropped the jar and it smashed, lozenges rattled away in all directions. He seized the mug from Harry.

"I didn't make you any drink Harry, if I did I'd have had to ask a healer first."

Neville sniffed the cup.

"You have to take this to the potions lab, it's a potion, I don't know if anyone will be able to identify it by what's left but I'd go now if I were you, you don't know what it is?"

"A little girl gave it to me." Harry squeaked.

"Or a dark wizard with polyjuice"

Harry a mini heart attack, was Draco the best option?

"Should I go to Mungo's?"

"If you want to take that gamble Harry, what ever you've ingested is affecting you as we speak."

With that Harry ran to the school. He was panting and panicked as Hermione stopped him in his tracks, Nightingale who was walking with her stopped as well. They were smiling and didn't seem to see the rush the young wizard was in.

"I'm glad to finally see you not working!" Hermione exclaimed

"Genevieve and I were just going to visit Hagrid, come with us, I bet you haven't visited him yet!"

In truth Harry usually would have jumped at the chance, but not right then, he needed to get to the dungeons, but the witches didn't seem to want to let him go.

"I'm sorry, I can't."

"And why not?" Hermione asked, a look of concern crossing her face.

"Because I have to go and see Draco!" He blurted, Hermione's mouth dropped open but she didn't have time to speak before her friend ran away, missing the meaningful look Nightingale had on her face.

Descending the stairs he was stopped again and he almost screamed.

"Whoa young buck, you're in a hurry there, do you need any help? You don't look too flash."

It was the new American wizard, he had a pure-white grin on his handsome face and Harry thought of Lockhart.

"No I'm fine, I have to go." Harry pushed past the wizard and kept running. He felt very hot, and very short of breath, was that the potion? And there was a pain in his side.

He burst into Draco's office, waving the mug around, he shouted. "You have to help me, I've been poisoned!"

Malfoy looked up startled from the desk that had formerly been Snape's. There were parchments in front of him he'd been correcting, calmly he put his quill down, laced his fingers and looked at Harry.

"Come again?"

Harry gave the mug to Draco.

"A student gave this to me, though they might have been a polyjuiced wizard, and I drank it because I thought it was from Neville and then he said he didn't make it and it was a potion and I'm probably poisoned because I can't breath and I'm burning up."

Draco stood up from his desk.

"I assume you ran all the way here from the Greenhouses?"

Harry nodded.

"Then that's not the potion, you're just out of breath." He looked the mug over.

"You could have left more."

"It's not like I knew it was a potion when I drank it!"

Draco sighed. "Well I'll do my best."

He took it over to a round, flat table, the top of which spun around to show a solid-looking cauldron. The blonde tipped the dregs in.

"You might want to take a seat."

Harry did as Draco began analyzing it.

"Do you feel any side effects?" Draco asked drawing a thumb-sized vial from his robes and placing a drop he'd extracted from the cauldron into it.

"Not except for the running…" Harry trailed off as he became embarrassed, he'd made a fool of himself, bursting in and babbling on, what if the potion was nothing?

His face reddened and he was glad Draco had leant over the cauldron and was unable to see him.

"Do you remember anything about the potion itself? Any distinctive qualities?"

Harry thought about it.

"Well it tasted nice. It was like coffee and mint, vanilla and chocolate all at once. It looked like tea but was really creamy but also frothy. And it smells really good."

"Smells?" Draco asked, pausing to look up from the cauldron.

Harry nodded enthusiastically, breathing in deeply.

"Yeah, I can still smell it."

Draco swirled the two tiny vials, each containing a droplet, one turned pink and the other gold.

"Impossible." He commented.

Then he looked back to Harry.

"What does it smell like?"

Harry didn't know how to answer; it wasn't like the flavors of the potion.

"It's like spice and lemon…" He tried, not really pinpointing the smell.

"A bit salty like, I don't know but it's nice, really nice."

"Harry what does this room look like to you?"

Harry looked around at the brightly lit room and found himself squinting at the colors, the shiny wooden desk that gleamed mahogany at him, it smelt of slick polish, there wasn't a scratch on it, the thick, broad legs supported it off the shiny silver-grey stones that lay cold and tinkly underneath, the same stones made up the walls and were hung with shelves and tapestries, itchy tapestries that smelt of thread and dye and dust and age and splashed with fading color that burst with vibrancy. The shelves lining the rooms wafted with hidden dust, they still held one or two jars that reeked of preservation potion and the hint of decay. They shone a poison green.

Then there was Draco, standing monolithic in the center of the room, beside the desk, he was holding that potion, the sunshine gold and rose-pink that almost hurt his eyes and smelt incredible and his body trembled with the need to get closer.

"You didn't answer me Potter!"

"It's amazing, everything's so clear."

Harry replied in a daze. He began to get to his feet. That seemed like a good idea didn't it? He didn't need to stay on this silly chair did he? The center of the room was much more enticing, he began to prowl over and as he did it became warmer.

"Potter, stop right there!"

He did, cringing with the sudden feeling of loss that overwhelmed him.

"This is based on the potions used in the Weasley's Wonderwitch line. I don't know how they've gotten it since the shop's been closed for months. Anyway they've diverged completely, making a potion with a similar method to Amortentia but ingredients I would never presume to use in a love potion."

"A love potion?" Harry bellowed out, he was poisoned with a love potion?

"But fortunately for you there's no human essence in it, stay away from witches for the next day, maybe stay in bed and you'll be fine. I'll tell McGonagall that I'll oversee the team tryouts."

Soon Draco was lost for words as the other wizard crossed the room and attached himself to him. Harry had realized too late it wasn't the potion he smelled but Draco himself. He had buried his face into the curve of Draco's neck, pushing aside the wizard's robes with his nose, drinking in the scent.

A tiny determined voice told him not to kiss the other wizard, but where was the sense in that? He pushed his lips against the soft skin of the neck, right upon a protruding vein.

Harry let out a moan and with that he was pushed back sharply.

He was panting and everything around him was bursting with light, Draco stood in the center like a tall beacon. Harry just wanted to be near him again but more so, he wanted Draco to want that. Although the way the blonde had his hands raised suggested he didn't want Harry to come closer.

Harry pushed his hands into his hair, moaning and looked down at the ground, trying to will himself to stay still.

"You need to go." He told Draco forcefully.

The other wizard past him to head to the door and it took everything Harry had to keep his arms locked to his sides.

He waited to hear the door open and shut, the thumps of shoes on cold stone to stomp away. But the sound he heard was much more simple, it was a singular click. Draco had locked the door.

Harry didn't turn around. His whole body stuck still in anticipation. He was alone with the only thing he ever wanted, well the only thing he wanted as of the past few minutes but that was all he could remember.

"Draco." He whimpered but he could tell the other wizard wasn't coming any closer.

"Draco you have to leave or I don't know what I'll do."

"You think I can't defend myself from you? You should feel more concerned that I'm staying."

Harry shuddered visibly. The words were low and full of intention in his ears.

"Can I come closer to you?" He asked in a pained voice.

"No, I'm going to try to make you an antidote."

So the intention hadn't been there, Harry was reading into things.

"Sit!" The order pushed Harry back toward the spare seat and down into it, where he stayed, eyes closed and breath held.

A pain grew, he didn't know how long he'd chad the erection for but the realization that he had it worse than ever before in his life struck him like a cord.

He doubled over on himself, not sure whether he was trying to hide his state from Draco or just because the immense pleasure was crippling.

He moaned loudly, not caring about anything anymore. He wanted Draco so much but he didn't want Harry! Harry knew his life was over because of it, he would never be good enough for the pure blood wizard, and he'd never give him an heir. Harry felt pain inside himself now; stabbing pain that distracted him from the graphic images his mind had inched toward.

"Hellebore, lovage, mallowsweet! Merlin that's not even a potion ingredient. They've actually put mistletoe berries in it, how can I antidote that now? Scurvy grass, of course but they must have added that after the Ashwinder Eggs, but they weren't frozen when added…"

Every muttered musing of the potions professor rang in Harry's ears, finally he looked up when he heard the words. "Merlin, Salazar and Godric." Gasped.

"What?"

"There's phoenix blood in this."

Harry felt bile spill into his throat and he gagged. Never had anything more disgusting been done to him before in his life. What vile person would do such a thing?

"I've never seen it used as a potion ingredient before, this whole concoction seems to be two potions linked together by unorthodox ingredients, whoever brewed it had to be reading out of an ancient text which is impossible."

"Why?" Harry spat out as he rested his head on his knees.

"Because, like I said, one of the potions is based on the Wonderwitch range, which is modern…"

"Unless the Weasleys got the recipe from an old text."

Draco was struck dumb, that was likely actually. He re-doubled the efforts.

"Runespoor." Harry of course heard the whisper but didn't know what to think of it.

"What's Runespoor?"

"A highly dangerous, endangered magical creature."

"What part of it did they use?"

"A hatchling, I can detect egg, venom, blood and bone."

This time Harry really did vomit, on the office's floor. Gentle hands pulled him back and a spell quickly cast cleaned the vomit off his face and out of his mouth.

"You fool. Drink this."

"No more potions." Harry cried out.

"It's water." Harry took the glass and opened his eyes. Big mistake, the blonde was standing in front of him in profile, casting the same cleansing spell at the floor.

His face was calm; it was such a beautiful face. Harry remembered the skin on it, he thought the skin on wizards would be tougher somehow; he wondered if his own skin felt as soft and cool as Draco's, if it smelled as sweet.

Draco was breathing, he could see it and hear it, the shift under the robes as his chest expanded and deflated, Harry belonged against that chest, the glass of half-drunk water shattered against stone.

"What-"

It was too late, Harry pressed against Draco, one hand pushed deep into the pale blonde hair and another wrapped tight around his waist to press their hips and groins together.

"I just need us to be together always." Harry breathed, pressing his face against Draco's neck again, caressing it with his lips.

"I'm going to have to hex you now Harry." Draco said shakily, pulling out his wand. Harry brought his head up to glare spitefully at the device that would take away his happiness, in that same instant the wand whipped from Draco's hand and was sent flying.

"Im-impossible, you can't do that!"

Harry brought his lips back down to the skin, peppering it with kisses.

A gentle shove from Malfoy sent him away and he stood back gasping, flushed in the face and in pain.

"Please." He ground out seeing Draco's face had gone pink.

"I need to be near you. It hurts."

He squeezed his eyes shut as his body was raked with the pleasure of the contact he'd just had, right down until it gathered electrifyingly in his groin.

"Potter I can't send you out there like this."

"Why?"

"They'll think I did it!"

"Then…. antidote?"

"I can't make one, it's a Frankenstein potion."

"Neville…. Neville will know."

"Did Neville see who gave you the potion?"

All Harry managed was to shake his head.

"Then he'll assume like everyone else that I made it seeing as I have become-" Draco gulped "-the object of your affections."

"Wasn't you…. young girl…."

"How do you know it wasn't me, I could have bribed or threatened a student, or as you said before, used polyjuice. I don't know how you got into this mess and I can't find any human essence in the potion to explain why you've become attached to me. Was I the first person you saw after you drank it?"

Harry shook his head, causing Draco to sigh. Lovely breathe escaping lovely lips.

"Then I have no defense, no one trusts me and even if I were to keep my job there's still no stopping rumour."

Harry reached out blindly and grabbed Draco's hand, it was enough momentary relief to allow him to speak again.

"So you're going to keep me in here?"

"I have to."

"No, let me out. I'll defend you."

"You won't be able to, you have no control over yourself."

Harry cringed and was forced to draw closer.

"Ex…actly. Can't…control…I don't want…hurt…you."

"You won't hurt me." Draco stated shortly. Harry shook his head, disagreeing with him but unable to say so.

"Let go of me." Draco demanded and Harry fell to the ground with an ear-splitting cry as pain engulfed him.

Draco dropped to his knees beside him and drew Harry up into his arms. This caused the black-haired wizard great relief and awesome pleasure at the same time.

"How the hell did you do that?" Harry choked out.

"Because right now you're in love with me." Draco stated. It was true; Harry loved every inch of Draco inside and out.

"Look, I can stop you but the pain will probably drive you into an episode, for now we can stay like this. Just close like this and I'm not going to make you let go."

Draco's instructions fell on deaf ears. Harry flipped the blonde onto his back. He straddled the wizard's hips and pushed his robes off his shoulders. With both his hands Harry pinned Draco's arms above his head and lowered his own face so their lips connected, whether it was out of instinct or pleasure Draco's lips parted and their tongues met, sending fireworks through Harry.

The black-haired wizard ground his hips down and kissed all the harder when he found the blonde was hard as well. The friction was so incredible that it sent Harry's head spinning. He pulled back from Draco's wet, parted lips, still able to taste him. His heart was beating so hard he could hear it.

"Tell me to stop." He warned.

Draco shook his head and Harry bent back down through the hot space to resume their kiss.

It became harder and deeper and Harry no longer cared about breathing, he would die right there, happy.

He let go of Draco's wrists and pushed himself away. Draco, eyes still closed, leant toward him, not wanting to leave the kiss.

Harry was un-knotting his tie by the time grey eyes opened.

Shock registered. Paused movement allowed the wrongness of the situation to ensue.

Without speaking Draco's eyes told Harry to stop. Slowly and gently long pale fingers untangled the knot and the tie was released from Harry's neck and slithered to the floor.

"Are you in pain?" Draco's voice was husky. Harry shook his head.

"Good, then we can take a break for a little while?"

Both boys seemed to curl in upon themselves, wanting to pull away but Harry unable to let go. All they could manage was to face opposite directions.

"I know you don't want this." Harry ground out, unable to look at Draco.

Silence met him.

"This is all my fault." Harry continued.

He knew the confession that he was beginning and absolute dread filled him. It was like walking off a level surface and into a void but he couldn't stop himself.

"I dreamt of you and me doing this…"

More silence.

"I took dreamless sleep but I guess deep down I wanted this to happen."

Would Draco think he'd taken the potion on purpose now? Or worse, that he'd somehow manufactured the whole thing.

Hands gently grasped his shoulders and he was pulled back against the other wizard's chest. A kiss was placed against his neck, only one but it was enough to drive Harry crazy, he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Oh Merlin." He whispered.

"It's Draco." Came the cool reply.

One arm wrapped around his abdomen unlaced itself and Draco's hand began to trace its way down Harry's neck, his chest, past his naval.

Oh shit, Harry didn't know what to do. He grasped fistfuls of robes either side of him, not caring whose they were and bit down on his jaw as Draco took hold of his erection.

Electricity pulsed through him in jolts. The contact was through cloth for Merlin's sake, it shouldn't have been so intense. But it was and Harry arched back, wanting more. Without warning he was let go, his robes were pulled aside roughly and his trousers unbuckled, fingers slipped beneath his pants undeterred causing his mind to blank as Draco's skin was on his own.

Harry was breathlessly panting, leaning forward and keeping his grasp on the robes. The blonde wizard was pumping him and Harry could hear short bursts of concentrated breath from behind him, breath that hit a sensitive spot on the back of his neck where thin, soft lips were laid every few seconds.

"Draco…"

Harry didn't know how to say the next words, he was on an awesome edge but he was terrified of the consequences once he went over.

"Draco, I…"

A tongue ran its way along his ear and was replaced by a warm whisper.

"Now."

Almost by magic Harry tensed all over, drawing up his knees he moaned. Stickiness coating the hand still holding him and the robes still half around him.

Minutes past as Harry sat still in shock, Draco's head resting upon his shoulder, making his neck feel intensely sensitive.

Harry pulled out his wand and began wordlessly casting _Tergeo._

"You know that spell?" Draco asked, allowing Harry to cleanse him as well, as his wand was still on the other side of the room somewhere.

"I learnt it off Hermione." He answered.

"But I thought she was with the Weasel?"

Harry looked closely at Draco, he wasn't actually thinking what Harry thought he was thinking, was he?

"She used it to clean up blood and dirt, after we fought death eaters."

Draco shrugged looking nonplussed.

"Still in love with me?" Draco asked. Harry nodded, not even looking disturbed anymore, which slightly worried the Malfoy.

"I like being in love with you." Harry stated, deciding it was true in the same instant.

"No you don't." Draco looked furious.

"Potter, don't you dare start acting like this isn't all the potion. I have no qualms relieving you to get this over with, it isn't like I haven't been with other wizards but if you dare try and make this into a genuine infatuation I will kill you here and now."

Harry pulled his pants back up over his hips and straightened his robes.

"I get it." He said. "You can never be with me, you're betrothed and I can't give you an heir."

"And I'd never fall in love with a half blood."

Harry nodded, scowling.

"Don't take this to heart Potter, it will all wear off."

"Even what I felt before the potion?"

Momentarily Draco tripped over his own words. "Well you were doing all right ignoring it before, just go back to that."

"Have you ever loved anyone before?"

Draco seemed to think about it.

"No."

"No one? There was never anyone you obsessed over? Who you would go home and think about all summer?"

Those questions were met with prolonged silence.

"Look if you're trying to get tips on how to make me fall in love with you forget it, you're going to regret this immensely in a matter of days."

Harry curled into a ball, he felt too cold and alone.

"Couldn't you just pretend, while the potion's still affecting me?"

"No." Came the short reply.

Harry scowled.

"You could have just locked me in a curse or something, you didn't need to do all this for me."

Draco paled.

"In fact you do a lot for me you don't need to do, it's almost like you care for me."

"I can tell you I don't!"

"Well maybe not now."

Harry grinned and turned around, taking off his glasses he wiped his face with his robes.

"I will make you love me."

Draco cringed, letting his face show just how disgusted he was at the prospect, and the fact that Harry's deep and powerful words had caught him off guard a little hadn't helped.

"You put that idea in the future and we'll see what you think about it then."

Harry was leaning closer to Draco, had he thought he wouldn't notice?

"Does the potion wearing off affect my memory?" Harry asked.

Draco shook his head, leaning away.

"Then putting it in the future wont make any difference."

"Stop! A Malfoy never submits to someone else's will! Give this up!"

Harry leaned closer still, resting a hand either side of Draco, who was almost horizontal.

"Maybe not a Malfoy, but what about you Draco? I have the feeling you're so much more."

The statement finished in a whisper, leaving Draco with the feeling that his wand was too far away.

"Harry, don't you dare."

Lips met together, it was gentle, so gentle Draco could've pulled away but he didn't, Harry did and nudged the other wizard with his chin.

Lips met again and this time open, Draco couldn't lie any more, he'd moaned too loudly for Harry to be misconstrued about anything.

So this was Harry's brilliant plan? Snog the life of him and somehow create love out of sexual frustration?

Without breaking the kiss Harry shifted, pushing a knee between Draco's legs to part them.

Draco was sure Harry wouldn't go much further, sure that the other wizard wouldn't know how but he still felt unrelentingly nervous, and Malfoys didn't get nervous.

Harry kissed down Draco's neck and back up, he licked along his ear the way the blond had done to him earlier, causing a shudder. He pushed aside robes and broke buttons off the shirt underneath. Without protest he was allowed to slide his hand across the expanse of skin, under the fabric where he circled and tweaked a nipple.

"I'm not a witch!" Draco hissed against Harry's mouth, but his involuntary thrust of hips and suppressed moan expressed that he liked it anyway.

Still he stopped the action. The same fingers trailed over the parted fabric, across skin, as slow and sensual kisses were passed between the two. Down and dipping across the naval, Draco arched then tried to pretend he hadn't.

"Can I kiss you here?" Harry asked in a rough murmur, pressing his hand on Draco's chest.

The breathless blonde shook his head, attempting a serious look.

Harry lowered his head anyway.

This was going to be enough to allow Draco to reprimand Harry for disobeying but instead of the words "How dare you!" Leaving his mouth all that occurred was an in drawn breath as instead of kissing Draco Harry had sunk his teeth in.

"Lay down." Harry instructed and Draco did, hating himself for it.

Harry's fingers traced the new bite mark and rushed down under the trousers and over jutting hip bones.

They wandered in the dip there, playing over the silkier skin; finally, after Draco had been still and quiet for long enough through time, which he could have protested, Harry grasped his cock.

Both reacted. It was rock hard and Harry grinned, his own hadn't even been that hard and he was under a potion.

Draco went pink but still he couldn't stop his eyes from rolling so he shut his lids and concentrated on controlling his breathing,

Harry's hand hadn't moved, hadn't even tightened its grip, what was taking him so long? Draco opened his eyes to look into the depths of the green pair looking back.

"I think I'm good." Harry said. What? Harry let go and pushed back, straightening his clothes, robes, glasses and hair (attempted). Then he was off. Draco stuttered after the wizard who swiftly unlocked the door and left him there, disheveled, humiliated and incredibly turned on.


	12. Revenge

_A/N - The last chapter I originally wrote, after this I'll be writing them as I go. I'm already half way through the next chapter. I hope you enjoy the bit of drama that's coming._

_____Disclaimer - The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books._

* * *

Harry had seen a flash of blonde and dived into an alcove.

He'd avoided Malfoy for a week now, of course that meant he'd avoided Malfoy seeing him. He'd been seeing plenty of the blonde from afar.

The perfect hide out had been the eighth year quarters. The rooms were a new extension to Hogwarts. A circular junction in the old astronomy tower. It was Harry's delight to learn that the new astronomy tower was even taller and situated above a wing closer to the forest.

There he and Hermione meandered on about nonsense. She never pestered him about anything serious and she was a great contributor to the game schedules Harry had neglected.

He was scared of Malfoy, mainly because the Slytherin in him had run out and he hadn't a clue how to seduce him, or whether he still wanted to seduce him. Draco had said the potion would wear off and the feelings would go. Harry's mind rushed over what they'd done in Draco's office, jolting a little he confirmed that he definitely still wanted to seduce Malfoy, emotionally and physically.

Malfoy was walking past the alcove and Harry smoothly stepped in front of him. Of course he wasn't facing the blonde, he acted as if he didn't know he was there and walked in the same direction as if nothing was the matter.

To Harry's absolute delight the footsteps behind him faltered a little.

"Potter! Do you mind hurrying up?"

"Forcing me to acknowledge you Malfoy? Your tactics are a little cliché."

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Heading to the dungeons?"

"Stupid question. Of course I am."

"Then I assume you wanted to take those stairs."

Harry stopped, turning around to point at the stairs that lead directly to the dungeons.

Draco pinked, glaring at the wizard who continued to best him.

"Where were _you_ going then?" He spat.

"No where, I just wanted you to follow me."

At this remark Draco became genuinely angry and leant in, not in a nice way.

"Look, you think you can get what ever you want, well not this time Potter, I am a Malfoy and way out of your league."

A few seconds of being taken aback was all Harry needed to become serious.

"Do you honestly think anything I've gone through is what I wanted?"

"Please you can't say you're not happy."

"I'm fresh out of bloody Mungo's in McGonagall's care _Malfoy. _I can tell you I'm far from happy. What do you think makes me happy? My friends who are dead? The ones still here that I get to see dosed up on potions? Denis Creevey who I had to show how to use the memorial pensieve this morning because he wanted to add memories of his dead brother? Any of that? I suppose you'll say my Gringotts vault, well sod it, it can go to charity or something I don't want a Knut of it."

Draco looked a little pained.

"My friends are dead too." He stated, looking like he immediately regretted it.

"Are you saying I wanted that?" Harry whispered back.

Malfoy shook his head.

"But he fell and I didn't. If you'd just tried harder…"

Harry blinked, was he talking about Crabbe.

"Try and remember him before then, I know what he said to you wasn't nice."

"Shut the fuck up, you have no idea Potter."

"Oh come off it Draco, you know if anyone has some idea it's me."

"The Granger and Weasel are alright aren't they?"

"They're just the Weasels now and it's not like they were my only friends. You _don't _understand but I had responsibility over everyone who died that night, and beforehand. All the family I've ever known Draco, you still have your parents don't you?"

"You can't bring out the orphan card, you barely knew them."

"Yes you're right, I barely knew my parents. I should be grateful. Sarcasm aside I lost my Godfather. I lost Remus and Tonks, Dumbledore. Fred Weasley who was like a brother to me, and a business partner. Look you just don't know the extent of it."

Harry looked at Draco's saddened face.

"I was with Snape at the end you know?"

"He wouldn't have wanted that." Draco said frowning.

"He planned it actually, he was in love with my mother."

"The mudblood?"

"You really have to stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Using that word." Harry shuddered, he'd recently seen Hermione's arm and it turned out she'd decided to keep the scar, Harry didn't actually know why but seeing the word etched into her like that resurfaced the seriousness behind it.

"You're mother was a muggle-born I just don't see my godfather…"

"Want the Pensieve memory?"

Harry didn't need to retrieve Snape's memories from wherever they were kept now; he put his wand to his head and pulled out his own. An enigma, a Pensieve memory inside a Pensieve memory.

"Here, I don't want it anymore anyway."

Draco looked as if he would argue but then changed his mind.

"Thank you." He said, taking the silver wisp with his own wand.

A look overcame Harry's face, an electric look that meant nothing good to Draco.

"What?" The blonde asked suspiciously.

"Nothing, I've just got an idea, I have to go and see McGonagall."

And with that he was off.

* * *

"You want to invite who into the school?"

"The families of death eaters, so they can add their memories to the memorial…"

"I think not."

"Please, they won't come unless you invite them, we need to dissolve the lines now Minerva."

"I thought I told you not to call me that!"

"I'm sorry. At least you should invite Crabbe's family, Collin had Denis to put in memories for him, but who does Crabbe have?"

McGonagall looked alarmed.

"Didn't the boy try to kill you?"

"If I held grudges against everyone who's tried to kill me I'd just be keeping the Wizarding world divided. You should invite the Diggorys too and the Burbages, the Browns, the Sanguinas"

"I'm not sure if Professor Sanguina had any family."

"Well if she did, invite them."

"And when will we arrange this event?"

"We won't make an event of it, we'll just request the students to wear black and be quiet and respectful as the families pay their respects."

"Well I'm not opposed to the idea, organize it all and I won't stop you."

Harry grinned, leaving the room.

"Oh and Potter."

Harry paused.

"Don't you dare let me hear of Mrs. Weasley doing the work."

Harry had a confused moment where he thought of asking Molly to quill the letters, then he realized the headmistress meant Hermione.

He grinned and headed off, Hermione could check his notes for the first Honeybees v Badgers (The team of various Hufflepuff houses), he had letters to write and owl out and he had no misconceptions on how delicate the wording would be, he was sure he'd need to write a personal letter to each family, unable to see how he could send the same words to Crabbe and Lavender's parents.

* * *

Hermione reprimanded him as he sat on the floor of the eighth year common room, surrounded by parchment.

"I can't keep doing your job for you Harry!" She stated.

"You're not, I've already done all the work, it's just you've helped me out so much I wanted you to check it."

Hermione sighed.

"Okay but only because I've already finished all my charms home work."

Harry had no idea who to write to in regards to most of the battle of Hogwarts' casualties. Lavender Brown's parents were an obvious choice, and he'd found out she also had an older brother who'd graduated Hogwarts. Crabbe's father was in Azkaban but his mother wasn't, she was in Norway with her cousin. The only living relative of Charity Burbage was her elderly Grandmother who resided at the Salem Witch asylum. Professor Sanguina had left a husband behind and three brothers, and Diggory's parents were another obvious choice.

"How did you get all of their family's details?" Hermione asked leaning over Harry's shoulder.

"I had a little help." Harry told her, re-arranging some of the parchment.

"Elaborate please." She demanded, adding some furious scribbles to Harry's notes.

"I went into the library because there's a section now on the war, I told Madam Prince what I was after and well, she obliged."

"She had all this on file?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.

"If listed in a book locked in her desk is 'on file' then yes."

"Creepy." The witch commented, adding even more scribbles.

Harry decided to arrange it for Sunday, If they put the first Quidditch matches on Friday after classes then the second junior and senior match on Saturday then Sunday could be used for mourning, as long as McGonagall agreed to cancel Hogsmeade. They'd need to somehow light the Quidditch pitch but that shouldn't be too much of a problem, there was bound to be a spell, probably _lumos maxima_ or something similar.

He was still having difficulty wording the letter, he'd begun with Lavender's parents and keeping it remarkably short had finished it, Diggory's were a bit more complicated, he hadn't died in the battle, no, but he was a casualty of war, his name was on the stone.

The door burst open to the common room as Harry was giving up to write to the elderly Mrs. Burbage.

"HARRY!" And eighth year stood panting in the door frame, looking around frantically, she was a Ravenclaw as nearly all the eighth years except Hermione were.

"Morag, whatever's the matter?" Hermione asked the girl, getting to her feet.

The other Ravenclaws in the room, Terry Boot, Su Li, Padma Patil and Michael Corner rushed over too, from their various reading corners.

"Morag, Morag calm down, you need to tell us what's the matter."

"Harry's right here, do you need to speak with him?"

Someone shoved Harry toward the young witch on the brink of hysterics.

"Draco Malfoy's dying!" She told him, tears streaming down her face.

"He collapsed in the staff rooms! I was th-there t-t-trying to ask professor a question when I heard the noise, I saw him, he'd gone into convulsions, they need to take him to Mungo's but he's resistant to magic!"

Harry's stomach had long since dropped away leaving him with a giant cavity.

"Is he still there?"

"Y-y-yes, I told McGonagall I knew where you were and she said to come and get you immediately."

Morag burst into wailing at this point.

"Oh it's so dreadful Harry, he was bleeding, I'm sure he's dead now!"

Morag's wails stopped as Harry knocked her over by pushing past her. The wizard was off up the stairs, his office was nearby, only up one flight and he'd be in the staff lounge in seconds.

Harry yanked open his door, simultaneously bellowing "Pegasus!"

Inside he spun around to face the door again, this time opening it to the commotion that was the teacher's lounge. He'd become angry that the professors had sent a student for him instead of coming themselves, which would have been quicker. However now he saw it was a joint effort of every professor available to try to keep the blonde sedated.

"Stand aside!" Pomfrey bellowed.

Harry ignored his onlookers as he rushed to Draco and took hold of his stiff body.

"Bleeding hell Malfoy, you have to wake up now and tell us who did this to you." Harry yelled at him. "I'm going to kill them." He added determinedly.

Malfoy continued to convulse, his eyes flickering and rolling backward.

"Wake up, please wake up, you can't give into this, Malfoy's don't submit to anyone's will."

The body slackened and for a heart wrenching moment Harry wondered if Draco had died as the Ravenclaw witch had predicted. Looking now, Harry saw Draco was bleeding, his face was badly burnt along the side and down the neck, slashes crossed his body, only half healed, Harry realized, with unsteady _Episkey_.

Quickly Harry cast _Anapneo, _making sure the blonde could breath, seeing he had vomited not too far away.

Then he cast _Ferula, _the summoned bandage and splint wrapped expertly around Draco's crooked arm.

As he cask _Episkey _along the cuts that were still open and _Tergeo _to clean up the blood, Pomfrey came over to him.

"I really should be doing that."

"Quiet witch!"

No one was more shocked than Harry to hear the wizard in his arms talk.

The _Episkey _wasn't working, the wounds just re-opened immediately, spilling more blood. Looking at Draco's pale face, horrible memories resurfaced in Harry's mind, he knew this spell.

"_Vulnera Sanentur, Vulnera Sanentur, Vulnera Sanentur._" He kept his wand close to Malfoy's skin, casting the spell with all his efforts.

Harry almost began to cry as the skin knitted back together.

"Who in Morgana's name did this to you?" He demanded, drawing the blonde closer.

"It wasn't you?" Came the half-mocking reply.

"Don't joke about this!"

"Mr. Potter if you could let go of him, he needs to be taken to Mungo's"

Harry glared at the medi-witch. Standing he picked Draco up.

"I'll take him myself." He declared.

"Potter, put me down at once!" Draco demanded weakly.

"No, I'm taking you to Mungo's and I'll be damned if they don't treat you."

He marched Draco to the nearest door.

"Could someone open this?"

Professor Flitwick obliged and Harry stepped through it, immediately spotting a fireplace.

"Does it go to Mungo's?" Harry asked the dwarf.

"Do I look like a moron to you?" Flitwick asked, grabbing some Floo powder and throwing it in. Harry stepped the two of them into the green flames, seeing the rest of the staff standing at Flitwick's door, looking in.

"St Mungo's, fourth floor!" Harry demanded and the fire whipped him and Draco away up the chimney.

Harry stumbled into the halls of healers and patients, he was aware now that Draco had fainted.

A medi-wizard gasped as Harry approached him.

"I demand to see a healer now!"

He ground out.

"You're Harry Potter."

"NOW!"

The green-robed wizard shot off and Harry followed him until they came to a healer.

"Healer Dawn!"

The witch turned around.

"This wizard needs help."

The witch looked at Draco.

"I know of this wizard, we don't help his kind, even if he is brought in by Harry Potter." The witch proclaimed.

"Oh I'm joking." She said toward Harry's scandalized look and the crackling of angered magic in the air.

"He'll be alright by the looks of him, I'm not aware of the spell that slashed him but it looks as if you countered it, we'll put him on a blood-replenishing potion and some essence of Dittany. NOW JEFFREY!"

The Medi-wizard headed off with a squeak.

"Quickly, let's get him on a bed."

"When I got to him he was going into spellshock."

Harry informed her helpfully.

"That's more serious than I thought, Harry." She shut the curtain.

The healer released a memo from her pocket and sent it to Everglade, and then she cast _Impurturate. _

"Harry, lift his sleeve."

Harry did and gasped. Blacker and clearer than ever before was the dark mark, branding Draco's white skin.

"He's back." Harry whispered, feeling for where his wand was.

'You think so?" The witch asked alarmed.

Harry thought again. No, he couldn't feel Voldemort's presence, but how else would the tattoo have reappeared?

"Who did this to him then?"

"You haven't heard?" The healer smiled as the medi-wizard reappeared and she begun to apply the Dittany.

"Give him this."

She passed the potion to Harry.

"It's been kept out of the prophet but if you read Lumos then you'll know all about it, this is the seventh attack like this we've seen on purebloods and ex-death eaters, your friend here's one of the lucky ones."

"This was organized?" Harry demanded to know, tipping Draco's potion a little too quickly down the blonde's throat, making him splutter. The healer took over.

"Yes." She stood up straight. "And our supervisors and some of our investors aren't to...supportive of us treating the casualties. It's well known that Narcissa was turned away. You'll have to take him back to the school with you. Giving him a bed will mean my job."

Everglade came through the curtain and looked over the scene sadly.

"What's going on?" Harry asked him. "How could this be organized? He was in school."

"There is indeed an organized group, they're calling themselves the Mudblood Army." Dante confirmed, not really answering Harry's questions.

Fury seemed to ignite within Harry, so they weren't letting the war end?

"So why attack Draco?"

Everglade shook his head.

"No you misunderstand, the Mudblood Army is attacking purebloods and ex-death eaters."

Harry's stomach twisted, but that was so wrong, and calling themselves that. The scar on Hermione's arm resurfaced in his mind.

"Will he be okay?" He looked back at Draco.

"You can take him back to the school now."

Draco was awake and looking off into space, there was an expression on his face Harry didn't know what to make of.

"Come on." He prompted, pulling Draco off the bed. They made it to the fireplace, this time they Flood in the correct method, one at a time, Draco going first and then Harry.

Getting back to the staff room Pomfrey immediately took over, whisking Draco out of sight, McGonagall approached Harry.

"That was a wonderfully brave thing you did Harry, Malfoy owes you his life."

"He doesn't owe me anything, if you'll excuse me I'll get back to the letters."

Harry found Hermione where he'd left her, she obviously wanted to know what had happened but he had questions of his own.

"Hermione, have you heard of a new group."

His friend pulled a face.

"You mean the Mudblood Army?"

Harry nodded uncomfortably.

"Well nothing's been written about it in the Prophet. The ministry think it's pureblood propaganda to spike another anti-muggleborn movement, since we're so fresh from the war and purists are still at large."

The witch sighed.

"But it's all over Lumos, they print an article every other week. The magazine's quite popular, not being controlled by the ministry you know? No one trusts them anymore, not even with Kingsley."

"What about your department?" Harry asked. He was rather deflated over attitude toward the ministry; he'd been hoping that under the Auror's leadership magical Britain would automatically become a better place.

Hermione grinned bashfully.

"Well it isn't my department yet…maybe one day, I don't know, you'll have to read about the MA yourself, they don't seem very big, just some rebels going too far in the wake of the war, if anything they're just prolonging all the hurt and violence."

"I hope they don't take things further." Harry commented. Hermione nodded solemnly, they both knew what it would mean for her and other muggleborns if they were brought back into the spotlight so soon.

Harry picked up one of his pieces of parchment to find it oddly not-blank.

"Hermione did you write this?"

The witch shrugged.

"You left me here with nothing to do. You spelled memorial wrong anyway, you forgot the 'i'. At least now you have time to subscribe to Lumos."

Harry nodded, skimming the letters over. She'd done a brilliant job, better than he would have done.

"I think I should re-subscribe to the Prophet too then."

"Well then do the Quibbler as well, it's become popular with Luna's new editor."

"Luna's editor?"

"She owns the magazine now, Xenophilius has retired to Sweden."

"Oh that makes sense." Harry replied with a smile.

"It does?"

"Yeah, that's where the crumple-horned Snorlack is." He told her, Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Allegedly. Well after you send off what will have to be a flock of owls, you need to fix up your game schedules for this weekend, you've made a few errors."

"And I have to see Draco." Harry added, mostly to himself.  
"Oh it's Draco now is it? And he's back at the school? I thought he was dying?"

Harry nodded darkly.

"He was, that's why I was asking you about this "M.A" some one or ones attacked him and left him for dead."

"In the school?"

Harry wrinkled his brow, he didn't suppose the attack could have happened in the school, it was very possible it happened outside the grounds and Draco had just managed to get to the staff lounge before the spellshock took hold. He couldn't tell Hermione about the spellshock, it seemed too private.

On those thoughts Harry remembered he had a firecall with Everglade that night and groaned, he only remembered because he'd had his First years for flying earlier in the day, which now seemed like a lifetime ago. His Tuesday classes were his favorite, Thursday was too quiet and Monday too much trouble. Just yesterday Cepheus and Leo had managed to bring along some Muggle brooms and without them noticing replaced Lucy's and Mathew's brooms, causing the flying enthusiasts to break down as they thought they'd forgotten how to fly.

Cepheus had wasted no breath convincing them his uncle had caught a mysterious affliction known as 'Grounditis' where brooms had refused to respond to him.

Harry had found the real brooms behind the shed; he then proceeded to blast the muggle brooms with _Confringo_ and deducted twenty points from Slytherdor.

His display of rage and intolerance was supposed to get the class to respect him but unfortunately it awarded him a cheer.

Coming into reality Harry excused himself from Hermione's presence. She looked at him as if he was truly deranged and she was struggling to accept that.

* * *

Harry returned from Hogsmeade windswept, it was dark now and he had thirty minutes to get to his healer's firecall. That meant less than thirty minutes to see Draco in the hospital wing. That's why he was running and students were staring as Peeves followed him shouting "You can do it POTTY!"

Harry reached the infirmary and slammed the door in the poltergeist's face, if that was possible. Inside it seemed empty, he walked along the length of the room until he came to a curtained off section. Of course, Draco was a professor and was kept separate.

"Draco." Harry whispered through the cloth hangings.

A moan and weak "Go away Potter." Told him he could enter. The blonde wizard looked extremely small, pale and weak. Harry's heart panged.

Suddenly he felt new surges of anger for whoever did this to Draco.

"How did you make it all the way back to the school?" Harry asked, approaching the bed.

"I knew it." Draco croaked. "You did do this to me."

"No, I just know no one would have done this to you on school grounds. Besides I think I know who really did this, well the organization they're a part of."

"There's an organization now?"

Harry nodded; feeling nervous that the blonde didn't remember Mungo's much at all.

"They called themselves the Mudblood Army."

Draco cringed.

"Oh yeah I think I remember it now."

Harry watched as he reached for his left arm. Slowly he pulled it out from under the covers and looked at it.

"Why me?"

"Draco-"

"Just shut up!"

The blonde just lay there, staring at the mark on his skin with absolute hatred.

"The mudblood army huh?" He asked eventually.

"Apparently they're not very big, just a group of rebels."

"Out for revenge." Draco added. "Well they got it. Nothing's much worse for me than this, they should've just killed me and got it over with, behold Potter, my permanent target!"

Draco held his arm up with disdain. Harry caught the wrist and looked deep into the gray eyes.

"You don't show your arms as it is, only those close to you will know it's there."

Draco scoffed. "Don't lie bloody Gryffindor, you know it's disgusting."

To Draco's shock Harry leant over and pressed his lips against the horrid skull.

"We both have our marks." He whispered against the skin, and then he let go.

"They may have their revenge on you but by the time I've had my revenge on them it won't seem worth it."

"You have no right to avenge me Potter." Draco tried to sound cross.

"They'll rot in Azkaban. But not before they have to name the new unforgivable I'll use on them."

"Stop trying to sound Slytherin, it's embarrassing."

"Who's trying, they used _Sectumsempra _on you, how many know of that spell? You, me, and George Weasley, someone we've spoken to about it must have connections to the MA, they'll lead me to them."

"Leave it to the Auror's Harry."

Harry grinned at the use of his name.

"The Aurors have rules Draco, I don't."

He ran a soothing hand through the blonde hair and left. Draco badly wanted to punch something.

"Oh and by the way, I'm not Gryffindor!" Harry shouted from the door before it clicked shut.

He was a Moon Frog.


	13. The Moonfrog

_A/N - Oh my goodness it's confusing trying to write this again. Forgive me for any lengthy time between chapters, I am busy reading over other fanfics for information and looking up Wikipedia for details. On top of that between now and the start of university in March I'll be doing 12 hour days on a farm. I promise I'm writing new chapters for this story every week but I REALY need a Beta because I'm rubbish at editing and take ages to get around to it._

_Disclaimer - The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books._

* * *

They were arriving. The students had been morbidly quiet and clad in their formal black robes since breakfast, a breakfast absent of the Flying Professor. Harry sat in a first floor classroom so he could watch them; he'd been there since sunrise and continuously scowled at the changing light streaming in through the dusty window.

He'd brought the next week's game plans with him and a bottle of Fire Whiskey. Since the effects had worn off the night before in a spine shuddering jolt of mortifying realization his mood had worn away like sandpaper on foam. He could only assume Draco understood since the blond hadn't approached him about his behavior. Nonetheless Harry found the strong effects of the drink comforting in his trial of forgetting.

The first Quidditch matches of the year were spectacular; the knowledge of this was probably the only thing stopping Harry from going back to Mungo's. Grawp had assisted Harry as umpire. Whilst the junior matches were played during the day, the more intense senior matches were after dinner. Harry had prepared the pitch with a lumos maxima at both goals and had Hagrid round him up some glowing Fairies for the stands. The students brought snacks and drinks from the hall and on the night the Badgers won all Hufflepuff variants had let off some firecrackers.

He knew it was a success from the owl Isobel had sent him, informing him that his aunt had never been more impressed in her life.

Draco was down there. The slimy disgusting git, Harry couldn't believe he kissed him, and worse, on the dark mark! His stomach roiled and he took another pull of the drink.

He didn't agree with this new Mudblood Army he'd been reading about and he was glad that in his inflated, potion-induced infatuation he had somehow saved Malfoy's life but he still had the engrossing feeling that he'd done something terrible, that he was defiled.

"Harry."

Hermione entered through the open door, breaking the miserable peace Harry had buried into. He quickly hid the whiskey under the table.

"How on earth did you hunt me down?"

"The house elves told me where you were."

Harry nodded. It was a reasonable explanation.

She joined him looking out the window, Harry recognized Cedric's parents and he assumed the withered witch in a wheelchair to be Burbage's grandmother but as for the rest he hadn't a clue. They could have fought on either side, it didn't matter, they had all lost someone and that was what they were down at the memorial for.

Harry couldn't help being distracted by the shock of white blond hair and scowled. Malfoy was talking to one of the guests and she embraced him.

Crabbe's mother, Harry assumed and was at least a little pleased she had come.

McGonagall was down among them, as well as a few students and staff. She demonstrated the memorial and invited the guests to come forward and do the same.

"It's a good thing that you've done, Harry. I don't think many other people would have taken the stance you have."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked her, his brow furrowing.

"You haven't assigned blame anywhere or gone on hating the purists or consolidating yourself in the past. You've looked forward and found the solution to be united and you've done something about it."

Harry looked as Mrs. Crabbe and Mrs. Diggory simultaneously added a memory. What it must've taken for them to do that. Harry's heart skipped a beat and for a moment he forgot his misery.

"So…?" Hermione trailed off.

"So what?"

"So you can stop hiding the whiskey for one and for another you can tell me what went on with Draco."

Harry scowled and drank from the bottle openly.

"I was snuck a potion, somehow. By a third year I think. By accident he became a focus of an…infatuation. I don't think I'll get over it."

Hermione tried desperately to smother a smile.

"Look let's go down."

"I can't." Harry moaned. Draco was down there.

"But Ron's here!"

He was, a few bright red heads were bobbing around the congregation. Hermione pulled Harry to his feet, vanished the bottle with her wand, and they descended down to where the memorial stood outside waiting.

Ron embraced him briefly without greeting and then instantly left him to capture Hermione in a passionate kiss that made Harry's stomach lurch.

"Guys." He murmured. "Really?"

"Mate, I haven't seen my wife in weeks."

"One week."

"Well it feels like years."

"Hermione! Apologize for turning our brother into a cheeseball." Percy demanded as he approached with George, Arthur soon joined them as well.

"Speaking of which." Ron said, pulling away from an embarrassed Hermione. "Why are people telling us you're not in Gryffindor anymore?"

Harry shrugged half-heartily.

"I guess because I'm not."

Ron blew out his cheeks with a mix of anger and confusion.

"But if you're not Gryffindor...I mean you ARE Gryffindor, how could you just _change _houses? What were you thinking?"

Harry shrugged again.

"Really Ronald, what does it matter? These days the houses are taken about as seriously as astrology signs, no one can even keep track of them. What does it matter what house Harry's in?"

Ron was looking very cowed and George and Percy were laughing at him.

"Getting told off by his wife."

"Careful Ron, she'll turn out like mum."

"What's wrong with that?" Arthur asked, grinning nonetheless.

Ron looked sharply at Harry as if it was his entire fault. "Because we were all in it together, all of the good times we had were in Gryffindor…"

Harry put a hand on his friend's shoulder, half out of sympathy and the rest out of the need to be steady.

"We have lots more good times to have, only now you'll be in the ministry and I'll be here in Moonfrog."

Everyone looked at him in confusion until George broke the silence.

"That memorial thing is cool, I could think of some better uses for magic like that." He half-joked.

"It's just a Pensieve inside it, the structure is melded on so when you come into…."

"We get it Hermione." Ron groaned, his arm still affectionately around her.

"Miniature Pensieve…" George's eyes shone a bit. "What do you think Harry? They could hold one or two memories, but you could carry them around."

"It's probably been done, but it hasn't been marketed, as long as you make the idea your own somehow." Hermione said.

"For what, sorry?" Harry asked.

"For Weasley's Wizard Wheezes." George stated.

"I've never heard of anything like it." Said Arthur.

"So are you coming to the season play offs Harry?"

Words were lost again and everyone began staring bug-eyed at Percy. That was everyone except Harry. He felt a little embarrassed. After all he couldn't leave McGonagall's care to see the first Quidditch match of the year, not to mention he had work.

"I think I'll miss it."

"But Ginny's playing chaser for the Holy Head Harpies…"

"Shut up Percy!" Everyone said simultaneously, as Harry's face flamed red. What was it that everyone didn't want him to know? Was she mad at him for not being in touch?

"What? Doesn't he know?"

Now Harry knew something was definitely a miss as George smacked Percy's head.

"Harry I think we need to talk." George said and began dragging him toward the school gate.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked.

"Just away, you don't need that lot staring at you. I don't want to be the one to have to tell you this, you might want to sit down."

"You're dragging me."

"You're subscribed to the prophet aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"Well she's done an interview for it, you'll know by next delivery anyway."

"Know what?"

"Ginny's gone and got engaged."

Harry pulled out of George's grip with unnecessary force.

"Come on, we'll go and get you a drink…"

"That's not a good idea." Harry said shakily, feeling like the ground had been pulled away.

"Mum's furious."

Harry nodded.

"None of us even like him."

He nodded again and pressed his hand to his mouth in case he was sick. Harry looked up and saw George rubbing the hole where his ear used to be.

"George?" He starting, forgetting about Ginny completely. "When Snape got your ear, did he cast the spell wordlessly?"

George nodded straight away. "Yeah, all the spells he cast were wordless, I only knew it was him because we saw him and because we knew about Sectumsempra from when you got Malfoy."

"So possibly, no one else knows about Sectumsempra?"

George shrugged. "Unless, you know the healers at Mungo's asked me, but I can't remember what I told them."

Harry rubbed his scar. It was a start.

"Why are you asking me this?" George asked curiously. "Are you planning to cut up this bloke of Ginny's? Because it might not be worth Azkaban…"

Harry shook his head and lowered his voice.

"You know the Mudblood Army?"  
"Yeah I know of them. Stupid bastards, what about them?"

"They made Draco Malfoy one of their targets, he was almost killed with Sectumsempra."

George twisted his face. "You sure?"

Harry nodded vigorously.

"I can talk to my healers. I don't _think_ I told any of them much of anything whilst I was in Mungo's but I think dad knows about my ear, he could've said something…"

Harry nodded.

"Why aren't the Aurors doing this?" George asked.

"They probably will." Harry shrugged.

"Then why do you care so much…about who attacked _Malfoy?_"

The question hit Harry like a bucket of ice water. George didn't ask it with malice, only sincere curiosity and a squint. He felt himself wincing. He didn't care! Yes, when the potion was making him believe he was in love with Malfoy he wanted to know who had hurt him, but what did it matter now?

"Is this why you don't care about Ginny's fling? Are you crushing on the enemy?"

"What? No! You're not saying…"

"I'm not saying that you day dream about the dark, broken spawn of your defeated enemy's most loyal follower, the evil, blond haired git who pulls off dress robes like he was born in them and who is walking this way."

Harry spun around. Surely Malfoy was not stalking over to _them _in the fine black dress robes that seemed to fit him impossibly well.

But he was. George was grinning like a wild thing, Harry shuffled, drunk and uncomfortable.

"Harry, how are you feeling?"

"Regretful." Harry spat.

A smile flitted across Draco's lips; it was gone as fast as it came.

A piece of parchment was handed out to him.

"What's this?" Harry asked, making no effort to take it.

"I couldn't help but conduct further research into the potion that poisoned you, Potter. Even though I still haven't discovered a cure and the effects seem to have…worn off. To back up my findings I sent away to Maligna to verify them, I was fearful that someone had managed to get a hold of my essence due to your behavior and in light of yesterday, that very well may have been a link to who attacked me."

"Get on with it Malfoy." George sighed, probably seeing how green Harry, who was swaying, had become.

Malfoy smirked. "You can read it for yourself but the potion was free of my essence."

"Your what?" Harry hiccupped.

"It didn't have any of his hairs or toenails or stuff." George said helpfully.

Harry almost said 'thank Merlin' but then he remembered the other ingredients in it and kept his mouth shut.

"Just so it's clear, that means there was no reason for me to have become the object of a false feeling manufactured by magic. Which lead me to _these _findings that show the potion was all along, an incredibly potent enhancement potion."

Malfoy looked at George. "You can explain to him what that means while I find a place he won't be ale to find me to kill me." And with that Draco glided away quickly.

"Mate…"

"Just tell me." Harry demanded in a choked voice.

"I don't exactly know what went on but if what I understand is true and you tried to get it on with Malfoy it wasn't entirely the potion that made you do it."

"What?"

"An enhancement potion only effects true emotions, it can't create ones not already there. What was this one, lust?"

Harry shook his head, feeling sick.

"Oh well that's okay then." George smiled. "That would've been the worst, so just something like friendship or respect? I don't think he would've known the difference if the potion enhanced a hostile emotion."

Harry shook his head again. It was so much worse.

"What do you mean? What was enhanced then? I can't think of anything else, well except for love but you can't…oh…bullocks."

Harry tried to swallow but couldn't. He had the parchment Malfoy had given him clutched in a death grip. George slung a tentative arm around his rigid shoulders.

Slowly and shakily they began walking back whilst Harry tried to ignore his impulse to hurl.

"Well then, you have two options, Harry." George proclaimed with a thoughtful expression. Harry looked at him.

"First is the easiest, you can kill Malfoy."

Harry nodded, it would be tricky but it was doable, he could probably get away with it too.

"Second, if you don't kill the ferret, you'll have to find the bastards who tried to kill him and bring them down."

"Why?" Harry asked as Hermione, Ron, Arthur and Percy grew nearer.

"Because mate, you love him."

All Harry could do was nod.

"Sorry we didn't tell you!" Ron blurted.

Harry shrugged.

"What was there to tell? It's a bit early, sure but all we can do is hope he's good enough for her."

Hermione and Arthur snorted simultaneously.

"You'll have to tell me everything about the game."

They nodded in agreement.

Across the crowd McGonagall and Hagrid were talking.

"I should check up with Minerva to see how the day's going." Harry said, pointing over to her. He said goodbye quickly and left the Weasleys.

"Headmistress how's everything going?" He asked her.

"Perfectly Harry, just perfectly, which is why I suggest you go inside and bathe that whiskey stench away, no one's expecting a speech from you but try for a little decorum."

"How are ya Harry?" Hagrid asked, clapping Harry on the back with complete disregard for McGonagall's words of reprimand.

"I've been better."

"Yeah it was harsh that young Ginny running off on ya, just wait, she'll come 'round."

Harry nodded and smiled weakly.

"Headmistress, Mr. Potter."

A woman had joined them. She looked haggard and tired despite her expensive robes. Shakily she took hold of Harry's hands.

"I just want to say, thank you for inviting me here today." Her voice broke and tears welled in her eyes. "This was his school even if he and my husband made some bad choices…I never expected such kindness."

"You're welcome…"

"Crabbe, Anathema Crabbe."

And she embraced him.

"DON'T KILL HIM! DON'T KILL HIM!" Harry froze, it was Malfoy who was screaming, right in his ear. Anathema had pulled away and was looking at him in confusion. Draco was no where in sight.

"DON'T KILL HIM!"

"You an' yer dad are finished."

Harry let out a breath, trembling violently. He knew what he was hearing now, Crabbe's last moments. His last words, telling Draco that he and his father no longer had standing with the dark lord, not when Draco was so adamant that they should keep Harry alive. Not when he'd let harry go to begin with.

Malfoy's voice had been so panicked and free from decorum. Harry had forgotten.

Anathema swam back into view, had he passed out? Gratefully he found himself upright.

"I'm glad you came." He told her slowly. Her son had been a monster, but he was her son.

"Potter, I believe that's your student." McGonagall's voice was full of concern, could she tell what had just happened?

Harry turned to see Lucy Frost nearing the Forbidden Forest. The last thing he needed. With a sigh Harry nodded toward the witches.

"It was lovely meeting you Mrs. Crabbe."

Shakily he headed after the young student who seemed oblivious to where she was headed.

He caught up with her just as she looped away from the trees to return to the castle.

"Frost, you shouldn't go so close to the forest." He told her, out of breath.

"I'm sorry Professor, I was just getting some exercise, Filch says that kids my age need exercise on the ground before we start flying."

"Oh yes, how are your mornings with Filch going?"

Frost grinned at him. "Great! He's so clever; he knows everything about the castle. I'm never late to classes now. Did you know there are walls that tell you directions if you know how to ask them?"

"Good, I'm glad to hear the punishment isn't so…harsh."

"Well it's better than being expelled and I know not to mess around with flying now." She told him, increasing her grin.

"Come on, I'll walk you up to the castle."

"Aren't you going to stay out here with all the grown ups?" She asked, jogging to keep up with his long strides.

Harry shook his head. "I'm not feeling." He paused as a strong urge to vomit passed over him. "Very well."

"You're never well are you?" She asked as they skirted the memorial congregation and headed toward the steps.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry professor, I just meant that you look pale and you never eat much at the staff table. You're still a good teacher though…"

She looked worried that she might have upset him.

Inside the castle he sent her on her way to find some friends. Only then did Harry remember the parchment in his hand.

Without moving another inch he unfolded it and began to read.

It was a list of described properties of the strange ingredients. Harry wished he could understand them. At the bottom however, Maligna had scribbled a brief conclusion out in barely discernible writing.

_In conclusion Draco, if the person drugged by this potion targeted you specifically as an object of infatuation as you described then the root of those proposed feelings would have been genuine. I am unable to determine whether the potency of the ingredients was merely necessary to counter the existing potions used or if they made the potion itself particularly strong. Therefore the person under its influence may have had a meager passing interest in you, which was enhanced significantly. Either way they were the sole target of this circumstance and you were, as it seems, an unfortunate party._

_Best regards M. Winesap. _

Harry re-scrunched the paper. 'A passing interest.' He could deal with that. He'd had a passing interest in Malfoy and the blasted potion had blown it out of proportion.

He began walking; he would head upstairs and take a bath in his living quarters. As he moved his thoughts turned cruel. Maligna's findings weren't conclusive either way, if the potion wasn't so strong then it may have been more than just an interest, after all, hadn't he had a passing interest in Miss Nightingale? Yet he had completely ignored her on his way to see Malfoy. Why hadn't the potion locked to her?

He took the long way to his quarters, to retrieve the Quidditch plans he'd left on the abandoned classroom. He travelled up stairways through each floor of the castle until he reached his office. It made no sense but the thought of taking the shortcut through the teacher's lounge seemed unbearable.

Inside his office he had begun to sweat, nothing seemed steady through the haze of whiskey. He sat at his desk and stared at his Quidditch papers. What was he going to do?

Already he knew.

He wasn't going to kill Malfoy.

There may have been some hidden romantic reason behind it, but what it ultimately came down to was he, Harry Potter, was not a killer.

Getting up he steadied himself with the chair before stumbling toward his quarter's door.

"Pegasus." He slurred and it slid open.

The darkness inside met his eyes like a soft pillow under a weary head, he was only just beginning to realize he'd drunk more than he'd intended.

He didn't think to grab spare robes to change into, he headed straight to the lavish bathroom up the furthermost stairs.

It was a short bath; it was necessary to cut the risk of drowning since he continuously drifted off. It was a good time to have some gillyweed on hand, he thought lazily.

Outside the water was freezing cold, he hadn't lit a fire in any recent time and so he wrapped a towel around his navel and picked up his discarded wand to rush to his bedroom and dress. The stone steps were like ice on his bare feet, he half jogged down and then back up again, pushing open the closed doors of his bedroom.

"Took your time Potter."

Harry froze in the door frame before quickly clutching the towel, keeping it from sliding down any further.

His first thoughts were that Draco was rubbish at finding hiding spots where Harry couldn't kill him.

Malfoy obviously hadn't been expecting him naked. The blond immediately blushed and adverted his eyes.

"Salazar have mercy Potter, you just _had_ to be a private exhibitionist."

"Get out Malfoy! I just had a bath!" He roared the two comments, not knowing whether he wanted to explain himself or simply be rid of his intruder.

"Calm down, I just came to talk."

"If by talk you mean to taunt me, I believe that, but unlike you some of us have grown up. I don't know what that potion brought out in me but I just don't care, I had no idea I had feelings like that before I took it so…"

"Liar."

"What did you just call me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry Potter, are you hard of hearing? Maybe it's because you can't listen over the sound of your lies."

"I am not a liar Draco Malfoy, shut your mouth!"

"You either just lied to my face now or you were lying in my office when you told me you had feelings for me before you took the potion."

Harry felt himself turn red. He had said that? Was it because he had that dream?

He pulled his towel up a little higher.

"I-I didn't take the blasted potion Malfoy." Was all he could manage to spit out.

"I know you didn't on purpose, calm down, you weren't to know I wouldn't blunder things up like a Gryffindor and just curse you. But you see, this could be of use to me."

Harry snorted. "Of course, let's hear it."

"It's valuable having the great Harry Potter in love with me, my parents are still waiting out sentences and-"

"No!"

Draco looked as if he'd been slapped in the face, but then he got a view of Harry's livid expression and the Slytherin in him told him to back off.

"What do you mean _no_?"

"No Malfoy, as in NO."

"I don't think you-"

"It's you who doesn't understand!"

"Please, Potter, enlighten me with your wisdom whilst my parents rot away in prison."

"Are you really so ignorant and spoiled that you have no idea about other people's feeling's?"

"Other people's, what?"

"You're unbelievable Draco! You need to leave."

"How can you be so stubborn? You're meant to have these feelings for me, Potter so help me free my parents!"

"Shut up Malfoy!" Harry roared. "MAYBE I AM IN LOVE WITH YOU! I don't know! But if I am, I will not be your accessory you can use to win ministry favors. In fact I'll be perfectly fine having nothing to do with you. Don't look so pathetic either, in the past your little admirers may have granted your every wish but I'm not them, I couldn't give a damn."

A look came over Draco's face, a look Harry had never seen before on anyone's face, especially never on Draco's.

The blond bowed his head.

"I'm sorry, excuse me."

He pushed past Harry and began to leave.

"Do me a bloody favor and change your password." He advised before shutting the door behind him.

Harry would have but there were mere wisps of consciousness left about him and so he collapsed atop his covers and succumbed to sleep. A not so dreamless sleep where instead of yelling at Malfoy he had allowed his towel to drop to the floor and proceeded to snog his brains out.

He allowed the dream, he needed it before he was to begin everything all over again with Monday.


	14. Falling Clues

Harry had never heard the owls at night, or as it was, first thing in the morning either. Never before in his time at Hogwarts had they woken him, which was why when they did Monday morning he jolted.

Afterward he lay for a moment listening to the soft hoots and scattered screeches.

He was still naked and there were Goosebumps on his shivering skin. The towel still around him was damp.

With a stiff back he sat up.

The room was incredibly dark, too dark to be awake, yet he was alert. It must have been the early sleep the whiskey had forced him into. The curtains hung over his stone window frame hadn't been drawn and he could practically smell the frost hanging in the blue air.

With a wince he lowered his feet to the ground. He would've placed a heating charm but the wand he'd had in his hand had rolled off the bed and fallen somewhere. He took his glasses from under the pillow and shoved them on his face.

How drunk had he been?

Harry's nose began to run like a tap, he sniffed repeatedly and shivered, this wasn't good.

He tiptoed over the cold ground to his closet and rummaged to find something that resembled underwear and a robe. Clumsily he dressed himself. At the very least the clothes would keep him warm enough whilst he searched blindly for his wand.

With luck on par with Felix his fingers brushed it as soon as he bent toward the floor. Holding it at eye height he commanded "l_umos_" and carefully stumbled from his dark room.

Sighing, he didn't bother to make a fire, yet again, the room would have to stay frosty for he was beginning to violently sneeze as he came down the steps.

Instead he marched for the staff room door, not bothering with lights, the room had a dim enough glow the door emitted from around its edges, perhaps it knew where he wanted to go.

Pushing it, it slid into the ground and Harry was able to step into the stupendous warmth of the teacher's lounge. The floating lights made the room a soft orange that caused Harry to only wince a little as he walked further on the soft carpets.

He felt like he was thawing.

By the light outside he knew not even the earliest risers would be at breakfast, he doubted even the house elves were awake. A slow _tempest_ confirmed that, the simple sight of 4am floating before him made him feel a little ill.

He sat down. Thankfully some tea was out. The hot sweet liquid steaming; he took the hot cup in his hands gratefully and sank into a cushioned chair.

Sipping he thought how he'd have time to go over his second and third week of class plans, it was Monday and that meant Frost, Blackfish and Dibbon, not to mention little Ferdy Plath. It was his trouble class.

The Quidditch matches were proving more and more difficult, he had figured out, with Hermione's help that this weekend for the senior league the Moonfrog team, Snorlacks would be versing the Dragonwing team, Hurtling Horntails. He hadn't quite figured out the juniors yet but it was looking like their Grifferin team Silver-bloods would face the Killer Eagles and from the violent mess their first match of Angry Quaffles v Fire-breathers had been, he knew these young players would be just as much trouble.

The under thirteen Quidditch players took the game more seriously than their thirteen plus peers but they made more mistakes and weren't afraid to foul up. Harry would make sure Grawp stood by to help pluck falling students out of the air.

He was about to summon his plans to confirm his suspicions of the schedule's flaws but a brown postage owl distracted him, landing in front of him.

"Hello there. How did you get in?"

Harry certainly hadn't opened any door or window for the bird, nor had he seen anyone other than Binns floating in and out who could have done it.

"You're very clever aren't you?" He told it, giving it his biscuit from his saucer and reaching into his pocket for a knut. After a broken quill and several sickles he thankfully found one.

"Here you go."

The owl held out its gnarled leg and Harry took the rolled cylinder from it.

With a hoot the owl fluttered off.

Harry found himself disappointed as he unfurled the Prophet. He had enjoyed Lumos and the Quibbler and had wished for either.

Lately the Prophet only consisted of sensationalised gossip and praise for the Ministry. Which meant Harry was more than shocked to see the headline 'Mudblood Madness, a militia gone too far.'

A group of faceless figures in red robes jeered from the picture that was on the page. The story was inside and written by an obviously false pen name, Andy Anderson.

Harry consumed the two-page spread with gusto; they had listed all those attacked, including Malfoy, not leaving any detail out. The paragraph read.

_Harry Potter himself was the one to transport the injured wizard from the school and into the care of Mungo's via the Floo network. The Malfoy heir having been found unconscious on school grounds but suspected to have been attacked somewhere between there and Hogsmeade. The young wizard is now reported to be recovered and back at his teaching post._

Harry felt incredibly exposed as he took in the information. The article went on to say that the MA movement was incredibly dangerous, threatening to insight a new bout of anti muggle sentiment if not just reinforcing the rifts within the magical world. The ministry would be working with victims to put members of the militia in jail, Harry smiled at this, it just so happened he had friends in the ministry, friends who could help him find this MA and the people who used _Sectumsempra_ on Draco.

Someone sat beside him heavily.

"What's got you smiling Harry?"

Neville looked over his shoulder and read the unexpected article.

"Fantastic, the Prophet's learned to hire real journalists. Who's this one then?"

"Some Andy Anderson." Harry shrugged. "You're down here early, Neville."

"I've slept in the greenhouse all night. We've begun raising this year's Mandrakes." Neville pointed at the paper. "I think I've heard of him. My Gran had an argument with a Pete Anderson in Florish and Blotts and he had a son named Andy who was apparently going to write about her... never mind."

Harry nodded.

"It's a good article." Harry commented.

Neville grinned. "And you're in it." He said jokingly.

Harry shoved his arm.

"What happened to you the other day Harry? When you came into the greenhouse with that drink?"

Harry shrugged. "Draco doesn't know."

There was long enough silence that Harry felt compelled to look up. Neville was gaping at him. Harry didn't know what he'd said wrong, perhaps he should have just lied and said there wasn't a potion at all.

After Neville had failed to shut his mouth for a good minute Harry asked.

"What?"

"Nothing, Harry." Neville said quickly, shaking his head.

"No, what? Neville."

"I just didn't expect you to be calling Malfoy by his first name so casually. There was something…maybe you...are you friends?"

Harry shook his head. He supposed they weren't friends, even after…everything.

" Malfoy's changed a lot but he's still out for himself."

Neville nodded slowly.

"Well, you're looking better."

Harry tried a smile. "Thanks."

"Potter!"

They both looked up from their awkward conversation. Flitwick was slowly sipping tea on the other side of the room but the shout hadn't come from him. Harry knew the voice; he just couldn't see its owner.

"Over here!"

He spun his head to look over the back of the couch. Ashes were slowly falling to Draco Malfoy's feet, it looked as if he'd just cast _incendio _and Harry could guess what the kindling was.

"Since when did you speak to reporters?" Draco snapped.

Harry said nothing but folded his arms.

"So you didn't have enough fame already? You had to go and grab a little more attention by speaking to those sniveling Ministry…"

"Draco Malfoy, I did not talk to any reporters." Harry said calmly.

"Then how else do you explain…" Draco wrenched the un-burnt copy of the Prophet from Harry. "This!"

"You had no problem speaking to reporters in the past, Malfoy. You better get used to it, they can get this information from anywhere. I had nothing to do with it."

Draco sneered.

"You know I'm not lying." Harry continued.

Beside him Neville cleared his throat. They were in the teacher's lounge and he and Malfoy were heading toward another fight. Harry's head hurt just looking at the blond, things were less complicated with Voldemort, how could he begin to understand Draco? They hated each other yet he'd never been more intimate with anyone else, they'd saved each other's lives, they were colleagues and they weren't friends.

That would at least be a start. Harry knew he needed to get over the potions incident, and he needed to get over Malfoy's inappropriate proposition. He stood.

"Malfoy, we should get to the bottom of this."

The other professor blinked. "Pardon?"

"I'm sick and tired of my personal life being burrowed into, and I'm guessing you don't like it either."

Malfoy blinked again. "Sorry?"

"Neville's Gran may know this reporter, you can owl her and ask her to find out about him can't you Neville?"

Neville nodded.

"Um, okay then, that would be…"

"I'm going to speak to the healers and see if any of them released this information and I'll speak to McGonagall and find out if anyone was asking the other professor's anything."

"Ah very…yes."

Draco was looking lost and confused; it was an expression Harry had seen him wear before.

"Draco?"

Silver eyes snapped into alertness.

"May I ask you a personal question?"

"You may certainly try, Potter." The reply obviously meant to have more bite than it did.

"Do you remember where you were attacked and how you got to the school?"

An angry smirk crossed Draco's face; he concluded it by glaring directly at Neville.

"I had to go to the greenhouse anyway." Neville said, getting up.

"No need Longbottom, I'm not telling Potter what he wants to hear. He's just trying to do Weasley's dirty work."

"Bye Harry." Neville left quickly. Harry didn't blame him.

"What do you mean Weasley's dirty work?"

"Obviously your conjoined twin with freckles has already broken his oath as an Auror and spoken to you about the case because those ill-trained bafoons were not worth my time of day."

Harry shook his head. "Wait. What case? Is Ron investigating this? Why wouldn't he tell me? What did he ask you?" Malfoy didn't look as if he would answer. "Why wouldn't you tell him?"

Draco gaped a little.

"Potter when did you learn acting?"

Harry scratched at his scalp. "I haven't."

"Then all these questions?"

"I want to know, Malfoy you're making this confusing."

"_I'm _making this confusing. You're trying to tell me you know nothing of the Ministries' involvement with my case and not even Weasel, I'm sorry, _Weasley _has said anything to you?"

Harry nodded, then shook his head, and then shrugged, feeling helpless.

Draco rolled his eyes and then narrowed them.

"So if you're not helping _them _then why are you interested? You haven't taken another potion have you?"

Harry forced a laugh and shook his head.

Draco sighed. "Well I'm not telling you or any of those want-to-be Aurors anything until some real authority begins to work on this."

Harry cringed, he never wanted to call Malfoy an idiot so much before, but something stopped him. Be his friend. He reminded himself.

"Are you sure that's doing yourself any favors? You not talking isn't much incentive for them to change your case over…"

Draco shrugged. Again the expression of hopelessness crossed him. A thought niggled at Harry, maybe he wasn't being proud or stubborn, maybe this was just a stupid attempt to salvage some control over his chaotic life?

Harry forgot the idea almost as soon as he had it.

"Are you going to breakfast?" Harry asked, the gnawing in his stomach prompting his change of subject.

"Of course." Draco drawled.

"Let's go then, we can discuss this report." Harry said and led him out of the lounge.

However, on the walk there their talk somehow skipped over the Prophet and went straight to Quidditch. Draco revealed he could see quite clearly Harry was making errors with the matches and was going to enjoy watching him figure it all out too late.

"I'm not surprised, you could probably do your job and mine with your eyes closed."

Draco looked as shocked as Harry felt.

"If I was any good at flying." Draco shrugged and then proceeded to look even more shocked.

The passing of compliments prompted Draco into a torrent of advise on how to arrange the matches, advise Harry understood twelve times better than when Hermione explained it.

"And you need to do something about those juniors." Draco pointed out as they sat down at the staff table.

"McGonagall's not happy with their aggression, even Grawp can tell you that. You need to enrich their learning somehow, oversee their training and make sure they don't bring any wands."

Harry cringed.

"I already get rid of their wands but their friends smuggle them in up to the stands, then next thing you know the bludger's learnt to bite."

Draco covered his mouth for a second and then moved it to sip his pumpkin juice. Harry was sure he saw the hint of a smile.

"Good morning Professors!" Rang a voice like music. Harry looked just in time to see the fresh face of Genevieve Nightingale sit beside him. Why weren't the professor's like her when he was at school?

She smelt of daisies and honey.

"Good morning." He said, hoping all the syllables were right. Draco ignored her.

"What an article?" She said, pointing to the Prophet clutched in his hand.

"Who thought the Ministry would be progressive enough to write something so sympathetic?"

Now Draco looked at her, suddenly alert.

"Not meaning any offense Mr. Malfoy, only if the Prophet was still Ministry controlled they would be ignoring the Mudblood Army. It's dangerous stuff, everyone I talk to is scarred stiff it will reignite anti muggle sentiment and then there are others who believe they'll rally support and kill all the pure bloods. Either way it's not something the Ministry wants to focus on in the wake of the war."

"The piece is rather sympathetic isn't it?" Draco said thoughtfully. Nightingale smiled at him.

"Did you like it Harry?" She asked.

Harry shrugged. He was busy glancing worriedly at Draco who had taken to smiling fondly at the newspaper like it was his first child.

"Is he alright?" Nightingale whispered at him.

"I think you changed his mind about the article." Harry told her.

"Oh, didn't he like it?"

Harry didn't get to answer, the handsome American who was teaching DADA had taken the empty seat next to her and interrupted by asking.

"And how do you know our most elusive colleagues Miss Nightingale? Don't shy in introducing me!"

Harry noticed Nightingale's cheeks immediately flushed.

"Um…hello." Harry said, trying for politeness. He held his hand out.

The teacher shook it with guffaw.

"I like you Potter!" His voice boomed.

"Dorian Grossly." Professor Nightingale sighed in Harry's direction. Harry minutely remembered that being the Defense Professor's name.

"And Malfoy, I hear you're making quite a name for yourself in the potions world. A student of Maligna's, quite an achievement."

Draco looked up from the paper.

"It was a favor for my godfather." He said coldly.

"Severus was an accomplished man himself."

Draco's eyes widened. Had he not expected Dorian to know who his godfather was?

"P-p-p-p-p-um…" All the Professors looked up from their respective breakfasts.

A student, possibly a fifth year, stood facing them. She stared directly at Harry, open-mouthed. It was a look he was sadly becoming used to.

"Don't be scared child!" Grossly boomed.

"Professor Potter I got these for you!" She burst out and all but threw a yellow box on the table in front of him.

She ran away.

"Oh." Harry said, uncovering the chocolates. He quickly covered them back up.

"Don't be so stingy Potter, share them around." Grossly demanded.

Harry cleared his throat. "You won't want these."

Malfoy wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"Excuse me." He muttered and went to stand up.

"Why ever not?" Grossly growled.

Harry looked away from Malfoy who was standing. He glared at the box.

"Honestly Harry, I can't believe you accepted those."

Harry looked back up in shock. Hermione had made her way to the staff table and was blocking Malfoy's way out. She had her books clutched to her chest.

"What was I supposed to do?" He asked her.

"You were _supposed _to do the responsible thing. You're a professor."

She reached past Malfoy to pick up the box. Causing everyone to take in a breath, Draco was the one to swoop in and snatch up the chocolates.

For a minute the two glared at one another. A loud crash rolled overhead followed by a guttural peel of thunder. The ceiling of the Great Hall broke into raindrops.

"But-" Hermione chirped.

"Oh." Nightingale gasped.

"Well!" Grossly exclaimed.

"These have a love potion in them don't they?" Malfoy asked, waving the box in Harry's face.

Harry shrugged. "They usually do."

"Thank you. Move Miss. Granger."

At the voice of authority Hermione stepped aside. Draco swept away with the box under his arm.

"Harry!"

Harry looked at Hermione. The rain outside was falling louder now, filling Harry with a strange calmness.

"Are you trusting him with those?" She asked, searching his face.

"Yes." Harry replied without thinking. "I have to get to my class."

With that he left the staff table and the hall.

* * *

Harry hovered on his own Firebolt whilst his students practiced flying in higher and higher circles.

Thankfully the rain had calmed and the clouds broke away temporarily to let in a sliver of light.

Still Harry had to keep a close watch on every student. Each time Dibbon climbed too high Frost would have to go higher and Blackfish wouldn't be far behind.

"Not past me!" He reminded them. Immediately they dropped down.

"Look!"

Harry looked up, three figures where well above their class. A fist clenched Harry's stomach.

"Everyone land!"

The students did as he told them and he landed with them.

Thinking quickly he cast _sonorous. _

"WHICH EVER STUDENTS ARE FLYING ABOVE ME I DEMAND YOU COME DOWN IMMEDIATELY!"

For a horrible moment he thought they would ignore him but then they were soaring away at top speed and something was falling from the sky.

"Step back!" Harry warned his class.

Pointing his wand away from his throat and up into the sky Harry cast the first spell that came to mind.

The falling object slowed and drifted down like a feather. Harry held it in his hand.

It was a strange circular vial holding an amber liquid.

He ignored the cheering that ensued.

"Professor, did you see who they were?"

Harry didn't look to see which student asked the question, he shook his head.

He waved his wand to check the time. They were ten minutes over.

"Oh he checked!" Someone groaned.

"Get to your next classes as quickly as possible. Come on."

He led them swiftly to the broom shed and saw them all file their brooms away before leaving. Harry needed to set up for Tuesday's class but instead he looked at the vial.

Slowly he uncorked it's glass top. A smell assaulted him. It was a familiar smell, like a sickly sweet concentrated version of the drink he'd been given the previous week. Quickly he stoppered the bottle.

He needed to see Malfoy again.

* * *

The blond was in his class, of course, Harry walked past his office but saw that Slughorn had finally moved in and Harry didn't very much feel like talking to the nervous wreck.

The NEWTs potion Professor was unrecognizable, having shed two thirds of his body weight and taken to shaking like a leaf at every moment. Harry stood outside the classroom, pacing for the entire class. He didn't know why. There were things he could be doing but he couldn't bring himself to leave.

He waited for the second years to file past him in the most orderly two-by-two line he'd ever seen.

For the entire time he hadn't heard the class utter a peep, and even now on leaving there wasn't even a whisper.

Harry rushed into the nearly empty classroom and shut the door behind him.

Malfoy had already stood up.

"What's this about Potter?" He asked. "Are you following me again? Can't we put your old obsessions behind us?"

Harry shook his head to clear it.

"No, I came to bring this to you. It's the same potion that was in that drink."

Draco's eyes widened and he stared at the vial.

"In concentrated form?"

Harry nodded.

"By my calculations the concentrate in the drink you were given wouldn't have been more than a drop."

Harry looked worriedly at the small bottle in his hand. Suddenly it seemed like a lot.

"This is probably the entire brew." Draco said, pulling on some dragon hide gloves. Carefully he removed the potion from Harry's clutches.

"How do you know it's the same potion?" Draco asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I-uh-I could smell it."

"What? Potter you idiot! You opened it?"

Harry nodded his head.

"And let me guess, you ran straight here and spent a good half hour pacing outside my classroom because it has no doubt affected you."

There was no response Harry could give.

"And." Draco spat, resonating with anger. "If someone let you find this on purpose then you've led them straight here." Draco glared. "Where did you find it?"

Harry cleared his throat. "It fell from the sky when I was teaching my class."

Draco gaped at him.

Admittedly it sounded stupid.

"So somebody dropped it?"

Harry nodded.

"You have to leave now!" Draco bellowed, pointing to the door.

"I can't." Harry all but whispered.

"You absolute idiot, one sniff of this stuff and you're in love with me!" Draco whirled around.

Rigidly ignoring Harry he pulled out a cauldron and several vials.

"At least now we'll have enough to tell exactly how this bastard is making these."

He set up a second cauldron; waving his wand he set a fire under the first and filled the other with a clear solution.

Then he opened the bottle.

"Draco don't…"

Perhaps Malfoy had thought he was impervious to the potion's effects, or perhaps he simply didn't think.

The sound of shattering glass was brief, it occurred simultaneously with Harry's gasp.

Draco looked up from the floor, mortified.

Harry shook his head.

Malfoy was closing the distance between them. Harry stepped back.

"D-don't come any closer." He warned.

"I wasn't going to." Malfoy tried sounding menacing but instead his voice became desperate.

They stood apart and with each second Draco began to shake more and more, sweat beaded on his skin.

"Harry…" He said after a while.

Harry couldn't help himself, he knew the pain Draco was in.

Rushing forward Harry embraced him, wrapping his arms around Draco's waste. Draco's lips were soft as they brushed the skin along Harry's jaw, Harry could feel the shudder in his finger's as Draco caressed the back of his neck.

It wasn't right.

For all he knew the whole thing was a trap. The potion may have had his essence in it.

Draco gasped for air. "There's an antidote in the desk." He said. "It might not work."

With difficulty Harry pulled away and rushed to the desk; he rummaged through it aimlessly until a bottle of black liquid caught his eye. He charged at Draco with it, opened it and poured it down the blonde's throat.

Draco swallowed it, choking, before glaring at the idiot.

"Better?" Harry asked.

Draco nodded and coughed.

"Come on, we need to try and…"

Draco caught Harry's hand. For a heart pounding second Harry thought they'd kiss again but then they were leaving the classroom.

"I'll need to go back in there with a barrier charm to clean it up, can you do one?"

Harry shook his head.

Draco sighed. His voice was raspy and thin.

"Harry, please, don't mention any of this to anyone. I can't have Maligna find out I dropped that potion."

Draco looked pleading.

"Can you save any of it?" Harry asked.

Draco shook his head.

"That's a potions class room, if you've never seen one before. Anything I retrieve from the ground will be contaminated to the point of being an entirely new potion altogether."

"Oh." Harry muttered stupidly.

"You better just go."

Harry left and upon making it out of the dungeons found evening to be descending. He couldn't go to dinner, how could he eat? Fortunately there was no staff meeting.

He decided to go to his quarters, avoiding the moving staircases and ignoring the chattering portraits. The teacher's lounge was once again empty as everyone was at dinner. Harry made his way to his door.

"Pegasus."

* * *

Inside glowed green. Harry groaned. He couldn't deal with a fire-call from his healer.

He contemplated sneaking back out.

"Harry! I see you there! You're late."

With tired, slumped shoulders Harry skulked into the room and sat in front of the fire. Everglade's head grinned at him.

"Been heeding my advice I see?"

Harry raised his eyebrows.

"Spending time with Mr. Malfoy?"

Harry's cheeks flamed and he clenched his fists.

The fire burst with laughter.

"So I'm right! Ho-ho, has it helped?"

Harry shook his head.

Everglade's expression became concerned. "So you've had another episode."

Harry looked up. Come to think about it, although the past week had been stressful, unpleasant, exhausting and an all manner of other unpleasant things, he hadn't had another episode.

"No." He told the healer.

"Any flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, anything like that?"

"No." Harry said again, crinkling his brow.

"Nothing at all?"

He shook his head.

"Amazing…" Everglade breathed. "No doubt being in a comforting environment, keeping busy, using your magic and all that has something to do with it, unless…"

Everglade's eyes grew distant.

Harry cleared his throat.

"So tell me about your interactions with Malfoy?"

Harry bit his lip. He felt compelled to keep the events secret but on the other hand Everglade was the one to decide if he was fit to leave McGonagall's care.

"They've been complicated." Harry began.

"How so?"

"We've more or less been forced together." Harry stated, suddenly regretting his decision to be open. He wasn't sure how Everglade would react to the whole 'kissing' scenario.

"uh-huh, can you tell me in detail how this came about?"

"I was given a drink by someone I thought was a student. After I drank it I realized it had been spiked with a potion. Naturally I went to Malfoy's office."

Everglade nodded as much as he could with no shoulders.

"I discovered it was…a love potion."

"Oh!" Everglade exclaimed surprised. "Sorry, sorry, go on."

Harry took in a deep breath. "I kissed him."

Everglade cleared his throat.

"Don't worry about that Harry. Malfoy's a potions professor, he understands the artificial infatuations caused by such things I'm sure he'll…"

"It wasn't a usual love potion." Harry spat out. "It's some complicated ancient potion that enhances feelings someone already has. Malfoy's now is studying it with Maligna because it's so unique and rare."

Everglade's head sat stock-still and gaping.

"But he doesn't hate me." Harry didn't know where that statement came from. Or why it seemed so important to say. "Initially he was scared someone would find out and think he gave me the potion so he kept quiet and no one had to know I kissed him. Now that we know none of his…hair or anything was in it he's keeping it a secret for his studies."

"Well that's…good?"

"So despite all this I tried to be friends with him, because quite frankly I didn't know what else to do and then today someone dropped a new potion on me."

Harry noted Everglade's confused expression.

"From a broom." He elaborated. "Draco accidently smelt it and he…"

"I understand."

"He had an antidote prepared though so he took that."

Everglade cleared his throat.

"At least your spellshock's subsided." the healer tried.

Harry scowled at him.

"Look, Harry, listen to me. Mistakes are made all the time, there could have been anything in those potions that made you and Mr. Malfoy act the way you did, you don't need to second guess your feelings. Either you do love him or you don't, nothing can change that."

A weight lifted from Harry's conscience, he nodded.

"Try and maintain a semblance of friendship with him if you can. Work together to find where these potions are coming from."

"Thanks." Harry mumbled.

"Harry, I don't mean to make you think I got the wrong idea but if you _do_ feel nothing for Mr. Malfoy, perhaps don't form too strong of a bond with him."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that he's surrounded by threats. He has one foot in Azkaban and a dark, dark history. Unfortunately his life will always be in danger now because of the decisions he made. If you affiliate yourself with him you run the risk of inciting the anger and causing both of you harm."

"I'm sorry Healer Everglade, I still don't understand."

"Harry, acquainting yourself with Malfoy as a colleague will surely help your healing progress, we've seen this, yes?"

"Yes." Harry agreed.

"Just don't try to make it more than that. The day will come when you leave Hogwarts. In this world you're a timeless hero, you will have endless support and a limitless future, Draco has no such luck. You have a chance to heal completely."

"And he doesn't? Is that what you're saying?"

"Unfortunately, yes, that's just the way things have turned out."

"I think our session is over." Harry replied.

Everglade sighed.

"Yes I see it has. I will contact you again in a fortnight."

The fireplace cleared. Harry decided to go to bed. He must have been exhausted because Everglade's comments had incited his anger almost beyond control.

* * *

"Accio broom!"

Harry placed the last of Tuesday's class' brooms in formation.

He had spent all of breakfast avidly listening to Neville's description of a mandrake's eating habits all the while ignoring Hermione's questioning gaze and the fact he had no idea where Malfoy was.

Headmistress McGonagall sat central on the table, between Hagrid and Flitwick like always. Her looks of query were harder to ignore.

Tuesdays were the good kind of boring for Harry, he always managed to get the Quidditch matches sorted and his class was a nonevent. He could almost commend Peter Curley for that. The Gryffleslytherclaw was immensely popular yet was also a bit of a loner, he had no clique but attracted everyone to him like a summoning charm.

Harry watched with bewilderment as Curley quieted the class by smiling at them all and saying. "Come on guys!"

"Twenty points to Gryffer-er your house Mr. Curley."

They were the first points Harry had given away, he wondered if a points system even existed. The shattered hourglasses had never been repaired to his knowledge.

"Thanks professor!" The boy grinned.

To the student's enjoyment he sent them into the sky and through drills.

Learning from the day before Harry kept a close eye on the time, making sure they had the brooms away and the broom shed locked before it ticked over ten thirty.

"Bye Professor!" Curley called, waving. Some other students said bye as well though not as loudly. Most of them opted for the usual open-mouthed staring as they bumped into inanimate objects and each other as they walked away.

"Harry!"

She had caught up to him.

Hermione had a small purse tied to the wrist she was waving as she ran. It didn't fool Harry for a second; he knew she had an entire library in it.

"I can't believe you're skipping a class just to hunt me down." He smirked at her. "I should deduct house points."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Please, Harry. They aren't still doing a points system with the mess the sorting hat made of things. Any way I've come to talk to you."

"But aren't you actually missing a class?" Harry tried desperately.

"Harry, what have I told you about being more observant? My classes are optional. What's more important right now is you telling me why you let Malfoy take those chocolates." She folded her arms. Some things never changed.

"They had a potion in them, he's training to be a potions master. What more can I say?"

"But he's _Malfoy_!"

"So? What does that even mean?"

Hermione blew some of her wild hair out of her face.

"I don't know, Ron's better at this than me, maybe you should talk to him. He worries about you."

"Well he doesn't need to. I'm all right. Malfoy's just being helpful, and it helps him out with his studying to look at any potion he can get his hands on."

Hermione scrutinised Harry for a moment before giving up.

"You look a lot better." She tried, smiling a little.

"Thanks." Harry said and before she could beat him to it he caught her up in a brief hug that was a lot less bone crushing than it could have been.

"Where are you off to now?" She asked when he let go.

"Um, my office I guess, I need to sort out all these plans for the next Quidditch matches and I guess I should see McGonagall about the junior teams."

Hermione winced.

"They're a bit of a disaster aren't they? How far have you got with the game schedule?"

"It's finished more or less."

"Look, if you've got a copy on you leave them with me. I have nothing better to do. You better see McGonagall and maybe talk to her about some-"

"-After hours training for the juniors to enrich their learning?"

"Yes." Hermione agreed, blinking. "What a brilliant idea Harry. That's just what I was going to say."

Harry reached into his robes and brought out the crumpled parchment that had the latest schedule on it. Hermione glanced over it.

"Actually, you've got it right! No, this will actually work."She nodded, looking pleasantly surprised.

Harry grinned and took the plans back.

"What did you do?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"Nothing." Harry insisted, holding up his hands. "I've got to go now. And so should you, those classes may be optional but it won't take much for you to slip into bad habits."

Harry laughed but stopped when Hermione's face became a portrait of stone-cold terror.

"You're right! What am I doing? I've got to go. Don't you ever make me miss out on class again Harry Potter." She finished by smacking him lightly on the arm and running off faster than Harry could fly.

* * *

Harry left McGonagall's office with heightened spirits. After waiting several minutes for the headmistress to finish a meeting with the board of school governors Harry had been let in.

He had told her that something needed to be done about the junior team.

McGonagall had suggested abolishing them altogether, after all their matches weren't scored and none of the players had set positions, the vicious ferocity of competition came down to their young ages and inexperience.

Harry begged her to let him set up training sessions.

"I'll re-enforce the rules and safety. It will give them a better idea for what positions they'll take on in their third year." He'd argued.

Eventually the Headmistress' will bent.

Afterward she'd checked over the scheduled matches and Harry had been awarded a thin smile.

It was a good day.

* * *

_A/N - So I am very, very sorry for the lateness of this chapter. It's been 'finished' for a while but there's a bunch I've chopped off the end to put into the next chapter because I was taking so long to complete it. Thus the next chapter shall be up soon, not too soon because I wan't at least a review...maybe...I won't resort to begging yet._


	15. Let Us All Unite

_A/N - So let me start. Thank you for the review __**TotteringSprog. **__I sat and laughed at it with joy for a good minute and then over two days wrote out this chapter and the next. Now I've moved from the city I'm studying four classes, Media, writing, language and Latin and I'm working, maintaining involvement in several clubs and remembering to eat, shower and sleep. Getting to these fictions is hard and putting time into them, costly, but I love it! It's fun and that one review that was just one word literally motivated me to write this chapter._

_**Warning**__ - Okay, so a new one on top of the Slash and future M rated content to come and some brief little moments of sexuality in earlier chapters I found something else out._  
_In a way all Drarry is incest. (yuck) Draco is Harry's second cousin once removed (JK Rowling has confirmed Dorea is James' mother and she is on the Black family tree)_  
_I didn't want it to be this way! I will NOT use this new revelation as a kink! It will be a very real conundrum._

_But really, to be fair a lot of people in the real HP books are married and distantly related, it's just the material I'm working with, I wasn't aware of it and I didn't choose it. I'd prefer it if Draco and Harry weren't related and I considered pretending I didn't know but I came to the discovery whilst I was writing and it just became part of the plot._

_Again, very sorry._

_**Disclaimer - **__The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books._

* * *

A good day indeed it was, for Harry finally had an afternoon free. This he had not anticipated.

He'd made it to the castle's entrance, not sure where to head but grinning with each stride anyway.

His smile vanished in place of a startled shout at Pigwidgeon collided with the side of his head.

"Ouch!"

He picked the hysterical bird from the ground where it had become entangled by the letter tied to it with excessive string.

Harry unwound it and separated bird from parchment.

"Thanks!" He told the tiny owl zooming around his head.

Harry recognized Ron's scrawl immediately.

_Meeting with Hermione in Hogsmeade tonight. Come with her and we can catch up. _

_PS. Don't give the owl any treats he's been eating Hermes' feathers._

Harry looked wearily at he plump ball of feathers that began sticking its head into his pockets and scratching at the cloth for treats, when he found none he began to screech.

Harry was scribbling "_Alright" _on the back of the note when he was interrupted.

"What is that infernal racket Potter?"

"Malfoy, I didn't expect to see you so soon after yesterday."

"Usually when people find themselves fortunate enough to get back on even ground they're humble about it." Malfoy snapped.

Harry shrugged.

"Is that Weezlebee's pathetic excuse for an owl?"

Harry pulled Pigwidgeon out of his sleeve by the tail.

"What this?"

He promptly tied the letter back on, using considerably less string.

Malfoy reached inside his pocket and threw a mouse carcass at Pig. The owl flew from Harry's grasp and caught it in his tiny claws, proceeding to drop several inches under its weight.

"Off you go then." Malfoy commanded as if speaking to a student.

With difficulty Pig flew away over Malfoy's shoulder, chirping with delight.

"What ever happened to your owl?" Malfoy asked.

Harry felt his body run cold.

"She died."

"Oh." Malfoy's mouth formed a straight line. "It happens. You should get a new one, hawk owls are really superior, they…"

Harry walked away. His eyes were growing hot and he was not going to cry in front of Malfoy.

Hedwig had been with him through his time with the Dursleys. She was his connection to who he truly was. When he thought of her death it was almost as painful as remembering Remus, Fred, Collin, Tonks, Sirius, Dumbledore, Dobby and his parents.

He wouldn't get another owl.

He was spun around. The unexpected physical contact stirred unwanted responses. Probably due to memories of the contact the potions had forced them to endure. Harry pulled away roughly, trying to hide his flushed face and quickened breath.

"I'm sorry, but did I do something? Last I checked I was helping you."

Harry laughed cruelly.

"Last I checked you were helping yourself. When did you start to care about upsetting me anyway?"

Malfoy screwed up his face momentarily. As much as he could at least, a wrinkle appeared on his brow and his nose scrunched ever so slightly.

"Is this about your owl?" He asked incredulously.

Harry shook his head.

"Oh I get it, you're just being the same rude, arrogant walking mass of ego you always were."

"As if you know anything."

"I just came to tell you that aunt Andromeda is visiting me this coming weekend and so you get babysitting duties. I thought you should know."

Harry swallowed, that was good to know.

"In fact she was going to leave the infant with the Weasley woman but I was the one who said you'd want to look after it, being its godfather and all. So see, I am helping you."

Now Harry's eyes felt really hot and his heart was leaping about in its chest cavity. He cleared his throat.

"You're calling her aunt Andromeda now?"

"Yes, well, one in my circumstance can't be choosy."

"Thank you, Malfoy."

"I don't want your thanks."

"What do you want then?" Shocking realization of what that question could imply immediately seized Harry.

Malfoy paused; Harry couldn't bring himself to look at him.

"Your humble apology for rudely walking away from me."

Relaxing, Harry shrugged. "I'm sorry. It was about the owl."

Malfoy pulled a confused look. "Oh, really? So you err, really like animals then?"

"No. I mean yes I like animals, but mainly because Hedwig was killed by death eaters."

Harry heard the short sharp intake of breath through Malfoy's nostrils.

"They killed your owl?"

Harry nodded.

Malfoy stared off in silence.

"You're not going into…you know…are you?" Harry asked, referring to spellshock.

"What? No." Malfoy shook his head.

More silence threatened them but both jumped at a burst of noise.

"Blimey, if it isn't _the_ Harry Potter."

Harry's instinct to run out the great big oak doors subsided into relieved laughter as Rhys came into view from down a staircase.

"Who the hell let you into the school?" Harry asked him.

"Some crazy old bitty who turns into a cat. I was in your hospital wing reviewing the case studies of old Pomfrey's treatment of Quidditch injuries. You got a load of juniors coming through."

Harry cringed.

"Anyway, I'm on the sickle standing here chatting, but if you can get into Hogsmeade tonight then Isobel's coming through from London and we're going to the broomsticks."

"Oh, I was meeting someone else tonight."

"Really? Who?" Rhys asked with an impish grin,

"Old friends."

"Oh, well then, bring them, the more the merrier!"

"Harry!" Hermione's shrill voice preceded her.

"You better not be missing class." He warned her with a mocking smile as she ran toward them from a stream of students exiting the great hall.

"Don't try that. Now did you get a message from my stupid, good-for-nothing, so-called husband?"

Harry nodded slowly.

"Urgh! I knew it, Molly was right, I was rushing into things, that boy has no idea how to act as an adult! What did it say?"

"You were meeting him in Hogsmeade…"

"Yes but did it say where? Did it say when?"

Harry was about to shake his head.

"The orange weasel said seven, evening, at the broomsticks." Malfoy drawled, looking nonchalantly at his nails.

Hermione scrutinized him.

"No he didn't." She pointed an accusing finger at Malfoy's chest.

Malfoy looked at Harry to verify.

"Yeah, I think, it may have mentioned something. Seven pm. At the Three broomsticks, it sounds familiar…"

"And you're coming?" Hermione asked Harry, turning the finger to him and raising her eyebrows.

"We all are!" Rhys announced, throwing his arms around both Harry and Malfoy who quickly struggled free.

"All?" Hermione squeaked. Then her faced hardened. "Fine, then I'm inviting Genevieve and Luna. I'm not going to be stuck in some blokes fest while you obsess about Quidditch."

"Wait I'm not…" Malfoy's protests where drowned out.

"Then can Neville come to? He's spent the weekend in the green houses" Harry told Hermione.

"Yes, good idea. You know Hannah Abbott's in Hogsmeade for Ministry work. We should invite her as well. I heard those two were very close last year."

"They were?" Harry asked.

"Yes, didn't you see them together in the DA?"

Harry smiled, all he'd been focused on back then was Voldemort and Cho Chang, and then the year after that came his obsession with…

"Malfoy, you should invite some people too." Rhys said, clapping the blonde's shoulder.

"I'm not…"

"You should come!" Hermione interrupted, "If Genevieve comes she'll bring Grossly and if Harry's inviting Neville then it will really be a teacher's event, it would do you good to come. Publicly…"

Hermione bit her lip.

"Okay, I might have a gap in my schedual…"

"Brilliant, it will be quite and event. Got to go now. See you Harry. Hermione. Blondie."

Draco scowled darkly as Rhys dashed away.

"Oh, no, I will not be late for Arithmancy." Hermione cried as she followed him.

"You're really coming?" Harry asked, as he and Malfoy stood alone.

"Who was he?"

"Who?"

"That man, and I don't mean the Mrs. Weasel."

"What Rhys?"

"Yes _Rhys_."

"He's my old therapist from Mungo's."

"And he stayed friends with you?"

"Yeah, he's close to my healer and to McGonagall's niece."

"Which one?"

"Huh?"

"The McGonagall's are a substantial family Potter, which of McGonagall's niece's?"

"Isobel."

"Oh, of course, that one. Is that normal? Staying friends with healing staff after you leave hospital?"

"What do you care if it's normal or not?"

"I don't." Malfoy replied.

"Well if you do come tonight you better bring someone." Harry informed, bringing the conversation back to where he'd started it.

"And who would I bring?" Malfoy spat.

"Don't you keep in contact with anyone?" Harry asked.

Malfoy sneered. "None that haven't tried to kill you."

"Zabini?" Harry tried, thinking of neutral Slytherins.

"Back in Rome, cut off all ties to Britain."

"Oh, ok."

"There's always my fiancé."

"No!" Harry cleared his throat. "I mean, no. Don't bring her."

"I should, you know, actually meet her before the wedding."

"But she won't know anyone."

"Neither will I. It will be a bonding experience."

"Anyone else?"

"My, my Potter, you really do not like the idea of me getting married."

"And you don't like the idea of me having friends you don't know." Harry pointed out, flushing.

"That is if he's _just_ a friend."

"What are you on about? Of course Rhys is just a friend!"

"Keep your voice down there are people nearby."

"Fine, sorry. Bring your fiancé then for all I care."

"Well, you do care. Besides the only other person I speak to is Pansy and you don't want me bringing Parkinson."

"Bring Parkinson." Harry ground out.

"Okay then I'll bring Pansy and Astoria, there'll be Longbottom, Abbot, Nightingale, Grossly, The Weasels, Your _friend_, Isobel McGonagall, you and me. Merlin if this doesn't start an apocalypse I don't know what will."

Harry found himself chuckling.

"How's George Weasley fairing?" Draco asked.

"Better." Harry replied.

"Do you think he'd come?"

"I'll invite him." Harry said, feeling weary. "It's strange of you to think of him though."

"Really Potter. Last I heard you got your hands on my mother's family's old house. Haven't you seen that ugly old family tree?"

"I've seen it."

"Try looking at the scorch marks some time. They may lead you somewhere."

Malfoy sauntered away.

"Now who's being rude?" Harry called after him.

At least now he knew what he'd be doing for the rest of the afternoon. That was right after he sent an owl to George, and Hagrid too come to think of it, he'd like to catch up with Hagrid, he could bring Madam Maxime if she was back from France.

* * *

Having flood to Grimmauld Place hours ago Harry sat with Kreacher looking at the wall; surrounded by old books the House Elf had found about family history. They were opened to various pages, yellowing and pungent.

It was nearing 7pm but Harry was still dumfounded and so he sat in silence.

At first when he'd arrived Kreacher had tripped over himself to look after Harry. The house was spotless and cared for, although still dark and crumbling. It seemed the elf had thrived in his solitude.

As Harry found the wall the Elf had begun telling gruesome and disheartening tales of all the depicted Blacks. Eventually Harry hushed him and asked if he'd like some clothes to shut up.

That had gone a bit too far and the elf had begun wailing.

It was when he threw himself on the floor and beat it with his fists that Harry knew he needed to do something.

"No! Don't make Kreacher leave!"

"Harry had picked him up and explained that the house was more Kreacher's than Harry's and he'd even leave it to him if he wanted. After all Harry really didn't want it, it had its uses but the memories it contained were almost physically constricting.

Then Kreacher had fainted.

When he came to he had enthusiastically collected the books from hidden crevices and compartments. Apparently his ancestors had saved them from the "family purges" the old Black family members had conducted. The house Elf went about his business saying. "Kreacher knows just what it is Mr. Potter is looking for."

Eventually he had returned and piled the books around Harry in a circle, opening each one to the page he'd need.

It hadn't taken Harry long after that.

That tree, the inter-connected, huge, monstrous tree of the Nobel and Most Ancient House of Black.

The Potter's Weasleys and Malfoys all belonged to it.

Harry repeated what he'd learnt over in his head, trying to make sense of it..

Arthur Weasley's mother Cedrella was cousin to Harry's Grandmother, James' mother, Dorea. Which made James and Arthur second cousins, Harry and Ron and Ginny, oh god _Ginny_, were third cousins. Also James was the cousin of Cygnus and Walburga Black, Sirius' mother and Draco's grandfather. That made Narcissa and Harry second cousins. What did that make Harry and Draco? Kreacher had helpfully pushed a book toward him, which held the answer. His second cousin once removed.

Was what they did in the potions lab even legal then? Was his and Ginny's kiss on the Quidditch pitch incest? Were all wizards and witches in-bred abominations?

It seemed like his only option was to get out of Britain and find some nice muggle to shack up with.

"Kreacher is thinking Mr. Potter should leave."

Harry nodded stiffly.

"Yes well I've just found out I'm related to nearly everyone I ever kissed so excuse me if I'm not in a hurry to go and face them all."

"Suck it up Mr. Potter, as you wizards is saying, most magical people is being related, Kreacher is knowing this, it's how the Blacks stayed powerful."

"But I didn't know." Harry whimpered, burying his face in his hands.

Kreacher shrugged. "Then you weren't raised with your fiancé as family, you're not really family."

"I don't have a fiancé."

"Then what is being the problem Mr. Potter?"

"The problem is I kissed my third cousin and my second cousin once removed."

Kreacher barked with laughter.

"You kissed the Draco Malfoy and a Weasley! Or was the third cousin the Neville Longbottom who you kissed because I is knowing you didn't kiss a Crouch and your third cousins on the other side are the same Weasleys!" Kreacher barked gravelly laughter a little more, rocking back on his tailbone and kicking his feet.

Harry cringed and felt ill. On the other side his third cousins were the Prewetts. Molly Weasley and her two brothers. Molly was related to Arthur the same way Harry was to Malfoy. Second cousins once removed.

It was all so fucking messed up.

"Welcome to the real world Mr. potter. You were wanting family weren't you? Well the Wizarding world is your family."

"I didn't want it to literally be my family." Harry moaned. "And I didn't want them to all be each other's family."

Kreacher's face grew hard.

"It is how we survive." He said in a gravely. "So you kissed the Draco Malfoy and...which was it the Longbottom or Weasley?"

"Ginny, Ginny Weasley."

"Oh yuck Mr. Potter. I'd be going with the Draco Malfoy instead."

Harry had to fight back surprised laughter.

"And why is that? Aren't you afraid me kissing Malfoy will end his family line?"

"Oh no, not if Mr. Potter be giving Kreacher his house. Anyway wizards are having heirs every day now."

"What?" Harry asked screwing up his face.

"Yes, yes, yes, first the muggles were doing it and now the purebloods. They _make _the heir. They make it and the two fathers or mothers is raising it and then there are more wizards and less of this which you hate so much." Kreacher said, pointing at Sirius' parents, clearly connected as second cousins by the branches of the tree.

"I don't think I want to be having kids with anyone on this tree." Harry growled. Kreacher laughed, "Then you will have kids with a muggle!"

"Fine!" Harry retorted.

"But you haven't been kissing muggles." Kreacher purred. "You have been kissing Malfoys, and kissing this Malfoy." Kreatur pointed to Draco's ugly little painting. "It has broken Mr. Potter's heart."

"My heart is not broken!" Harry snapped.

Kreatur laughed again, rasping barks.

"You sit here sobbing, _oh boo hoo I is Mr. Potter and I be kissing my cousins and not knowing boo hoo hoo. I do love Mr. Malfoy and I be kissing him I is so sad." _Kreatur finished and flashed an evil grin.

Harry ripped off his shoe and sock and threw the balled up cloth at the elf that dodged it.

"The fact you is not knowing Malfoy is your _distant _relation is you is being raised as not related." Kreacher said, crawling back to where he'd been sitting. "It is like you're not related at all. You is not needing to have kids with him. Kreatur will look after the house."

Harry nodded and Kreacher's gnarled old hand came and patted his shoulder carefully.

"I should go and talk to him." Harry said.

"Yes, yes, you is a welcome guest here but Kreacher likes to be alone."

"He sent me here, he must've already known..."

Kreacher nodded. Trying to pull Harry to his feet.

"This makes Phineus Nigellus my great-grandfather."

"What an honor! Now I show you where the powder is."

"Would you really like to be free Kreacher?" Harry asked, getting up on his own. "I can give you some clothes."

"You be putting those smelly socks back on. Kreacher will need to be looking for work so he can fix up this mess." The house elf gestured to the large, dark and ancient house. "Kreatur will come and visit you, you be making me some _nice _clothes."

Harry felt his eyebrows raise then. "Okay."

He was pushed into the green flames.

"Hogwarts." He managed to say just in time. He needed to head back to his quarters before he went to the Three Broomsticks.

* * *

Harry rarely dressed up. The times he did could be counted on one hand. He had bathed in scented potions and dried with some careful charms. He passed over the dress robes for some delightfully tailored Madam Malkin's evening robes. Navy with a subtle black trim and silver lining. Under he wore a perfectly black suit, regular brown shoes and with the most deliberation and effort he'd ever used he tackled his hair.

"Not bad Harry." He murmured at his reflection. It was already half past. He was more than late.

Grabbing his broomstick he cast _impervius _and several barrier charms on himself and flew out his enlarged window, into the night.

Using _lumos maxima _he landed his Firebolt perfectly in from of the pub. It glowed as a bright orange beacon in the frosty night air. It's stained, diamond windows glittered, revealing glimpses of familiar faces, flushed and laughing. Hagrid and Maxime's silhouettes being the most prevalent. Harry used a sticking charm to hide his broom under a post. He couldn't worry about thievery for the moment.

His heart pounded sporadically. He stood glued to the ground. He needed to get inside before he began to think. If he thought he'd never go in. A gust of cold air pushed him onward, toward his fate.

The sound engulfed him as much as the warmth did, friendly voices. It all formulated into a motherly embrace that set his adrenaline pumping even higher.

"Harry you finally got a move on!" Rosemertta commented from behind several flasks of Firewiskey and Butterbeer.

"Harry!"

"Where you been lad?"

"Harry's here!"

Several conversations stopped as he was queried. He scanned the room, smiling and calmly ignoring them.

Ron clad in a knitted beanie that looked very much like the ones Hermione made for house elves sat with his wife in question on his lap. Harry was glad he'd found the right place and time.

George and Angela sat with them. So did Charlie who was chatting with Rhys, Isobel sat beside them, grinning and beside her was Hanna, red-faced as Neville laughed at something she'd said.

Luna was staring at a glass of water, which had something swimming in it as a young man Harry didn't recognized watched on and took notes. At their table with them sat Hagrid and Maxime. Next along was Grossly and Nightingale, sitting with…there! Draco was in between Pansy and the other girl. Harry bee lined for them.

Draco did a double take of Harry and Harry wondered if the broom ride had messed up his hair after all.

"Wow Potter you almost look decent!" Pansy exclaimed.

Nightingale did an almost exact replica of Malfoy's stare. "You look gorgeous!"

Malfoy regained control of his expression. "Is that why you're more than half an hour late? Grooming?"

"Actually I got distracted researching some family history." Harry half-lied.

Malfoy's jaw dropped.

"Hello, you must be Astoria Greengrass, Malfoy's told me so much about you." Harry greeted, extending his arm to the girl. He tried not to laugh as she timidly shook it. She was younger than him and Malfoy, at least two or three years. "I'm sorry but is it legal for fifteen year olds to be in here?"

"Harry!" Malfoy ground out awkwardly.

"Found out some interesting news today."

"To do with family history?" Pansy asked. Harry was pleasantly surprised with how casual she was, after she'd tried to sell him out to Voldemort and all.

"No and yes." Harry ignored the seat Dorian Grossly pulled up for him. "To do with couples around the Wizarding world. There are wizards and witches forming bonds and raising heirs…together."

"He means same sex couples." Pansy explained slowly to Astoria as if she was three. Harry felt a burst of joy in his chest but made sure not to laugh.

"It's very progressive." Nightingale nodded from across the table. "Not to mention it will widen the gene pool a bit, less inbreeding."

Dorian Grossly boomed with laughter. "It's a bit late to think about that. My father says we should just accept our fate and all marry muggles."

"And that's why he married a Rosier is it?" Pansy asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Yes well we can't help love can we?"

Nightingale giggled.

"No we can't." Harry agreed.

"What's your point Harry?" Draco asked, looking more pale than usual.

"It's nice you call him _Harry _like that." Pansy murmured, sipping her drink. "Careful Astoria it looks as if your Draco's trying to replace you with a better model."

"Actually that is my point."

Simultaneously Grossly, Pansy and Nightingale sprayed their respective drinks across the table from their shocked mouths. Malfoy had gracefully turned away in time but Astoria had ended up dripping with butterbeer and looking very wide-eyed and confused.

"I am sorry Miss. Greengrass but I'm afraid you won't be marrying Draco."

"Oh thank Merlin," she breathed.

"What?" Draco asked her. He stood up, causing the chair to screech loudly. "What?" He bellowed at Harry.

"I can't let you marry her." Harry replied, folding his arms.

"WHY THE HELL NOT!?" The entire pub stopped to look at them, although some conversations chatted on.

"Because I'm in love with you. And probably have been since before we kissed."

Dead silence.

Somewhere a glass smashed, and then another.

"I knew it." Nightingale breathed.


	16. Confessions

_A/N - FREAK OUT AND PANIC! If keeping up with this story isn't hard enough FanFiction has given my MacPro some kind of bug! I can't 'Select Document" When I'm adding a new chapter or updating and old one. All that happens is my entire internet refreshes. Thank the stars this doesn't happen on my parent's computer and so I'm adding this chapter from that._

_I've asked for help on forums and e-mailed the help desk. If this issue doesn't get fixed I'm going to take a break from Fan Fiction and I'll just concentrate on editing the stories. Since my next chapter is already written and definitely M-rated I don't want to have to do that._

_Warning - Slash teasing_

_Disclaimer - The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books._

* * *

The Three Broomsticks was a silent arena and Harry and Draco were the main event.

"You've had another potion." Draco told him accusingly.

"You know I haven't." Harry replied.

"You need to go to Mungo's."

"No, you need to listen to me."

"But when I said…when I wanted us to be together…you said you wouldn't!"

"You wanted to pretend we were together so the papers would forget your past."

"Very Slytherin of you Draco." Pansy commented, picking up his drink and sipping it, her own having smashed on the floor along with several others.

"Wait just one blooming moment!" Hermione had scrambled away from Ron in time for the furious mass of red and orange to reach the center of chaos.

"What have you bloody well done to him Malfoy?"

"Ron, stay out of this." Harry warned through gritted teeth. "He hasn't done anything…not on purpose anyway."

"Believe me, I'm as surprised as you are." Draco said weakly.

"You like blokes?" Ron's voice came out squeaky; he looked as if he'd been kicked. "Why didn't I know?"

Hermione had thankfully followed him over. She gently took his hand.

"It's not as if Harry made this as a conscious decision Ron. I'm sure if he knew about this he would have told us."

"Why him? Why Malfoy?" Ron asked, his face becoming hard and serious.

"It's like Hermione said, Ron. I didn't choose this. It was always meant to be Malfoy."

"It's _meant_ to be nothing, Potter. If you haven't noticed I haven't gone about expressing any reciprocal feelings."

"You have."

Pansy now dropped Draco's glass. Rosmerta swore loudly in the distance. Nightingale and Grossly clung to each other's arms, staring unashamed at the drama unfurling.

For the first time Harry regretted their public setting. He could have caught Malfoy alone.

Why had he chosen to do it this way?

You can take Harry out of Gryffindor but you can't take Gryffindor out of Harry. He thought to himself.

"You acted in love with me when you sniffed that potion." Harry declared triumphantly.

"You said you wouldn't mention that!" Malfoy hissed, narrowing his eyes.

"But it was the same potion wasn't it? You feel the same."

Panic flitted across Malfoy's face.

"We can't know that."

"But you do."

"KISS HIM!" George shouted, banging his flask on the bench. Angela promptly stopped him.

"I can't deal with this." Malfoy began to walk away.

"Admit it."

Harry didn't shout. It was a challenge. Many times before he had challenged Malfoy and the blond had challenged him back many times in return. One thing stayed true, they were never big enough to walk away from each other.

"What's there to admit? I don't love you, it's just not prudent to appear less than fond of Harry Potter, not when most of our kind regard him as the hero who made the Dark Lord disappear."

"Your father put those words in your mouth?" Harry asked, ignoring everyone's gasps.

Malfoy's eyes widened.

"I don't care what your father thinks Malfoy." Harry retorted. "What do you think? Are you trying to be prudent? Or did you kiss me back when I took that potion?"

"Shut up! I can't think."

"Tell the truth!"

"I can't!"

"Why not?"

Malfoy pursed his lips. "We're colleagues. McGonagall would fire us."

Grossly and Nightingale moved away from one another.

Harry laughed.

"That's it?"

"My parents will never allow it. They'll hate you; disinherit me, everyone who follows you around like house elves will turn on you, so you will eventually regret it. It's as good as over before we begin!"

"You've really thought about it then?"

"And you really haven't!"

Luna spoke up.

"I won't stop following you Harry, if that's what you're worried about. I mean I don't follow you very much now but I can try to do it more often if you like?" Harry smiled at her. He turned back to Draco, arms folded.

"The people who will turn on me don't matter."

"You say that now but you don't know." Malfoy growled.

"I do know, I know what it's like to be hated by the public. It's rubbish but I'm willing to risk it."

"Then you're ignorant and a fool!" Draco spat and Pansy nodded.

"Should I leave?" Astoria asked.

"Yes!" Harry and Draco told her.

"Why would you want to?" Rhys asked.

"How old is she?" Came Rosmerta's startled query.

"Your parents wont disinherit you." Harry said. He was almost sure of it. The Malfoys were slimy and seedy; they chased after power and held corrupt beliefs. But they loved their son. Harry had seen it first hand; he doubted there was anything Narcissa cared more about.

"I'm a Death Eater, why would you confess you love me? If you even do. It just puts you at my mercy."

"I think someone once said to you that it's my mercy, and not yours, that matters now..."

Draco's eyes widened with terror. He shook his head.

"He was right." Harry knew he had hit a nerve and had to tread carefully. This was his opportunity to find out how Malfoy felt and it wasn't going to be easy. "You've offended me more than nearly anyone else. But somehow I've forgiven you. He forgave you too, didn't he? He wanted to give you exactly what you wanted, the chance to escape Voldemort."

Draco quickly looked away, studying his feet. Harry had to continue. "You weren't a killer, still aren't. Sure you can break my heart but what good will it do you?"

Draco looked back up and his stare was lethal.

"How do you know what Dumbledore said to me?" He spat.

How to explain such a time? Harry considered lying and saying that Snape had told him but the deceased potions professor hadn't heard those words. Only three people had and the two surviving were facing each other.

"I was there, hidden and bound but I could hear and see everything."

Malfoy began to visibly tremble.

It was the noises he made, sharp breathing in the back of his throat, indicators that he was struggling to breathe. Harry knew the signs.

"You're okay, sit down."

Draco sat. "I'm…not…going into…sh-sh-shock." He managed to say.

"No, try not to." Harry said soothingly as he petted Malfoy's back.

Hermione rushed an unbroken glass of water over to them, and Rhys, remembering he was a Medi-Wizard came over too.

"Maybe get him someplace quiet?" Rhys suggested.

Malfoy gulped down the water, spilling only a little.

"I'm not in shock, it's just…"

"Flashbacks?" Harry suggested helpfully.

Draco nodded.

He looked deep into Harry's eyes. The paleness of grey caught Harry off guard.

"If you were there, like you said, if you had interfered…" Draco shook his head. "He would have killed me."

Harry's stomach felt like an empty pit. Sometimes all that history felt like a dream and he forgot how real and scary it all was. Each day was terror, not even his mind had been safe. There had been nowhere to hide and no one that wasn't in danger.

"I know."

Harry's petting turned into slow circles.

Draco closed his eyes and he breathed deeply.

"Of course you do."

"It's over."

"It is."

"You should probably go to Mungo's." Harry suggested, searching Malfoy's serene face with concern.

"Yes, that would be quite a story for the Prophet to feature on its front page."

"We should go anyway."

"No."

"Then let me take you to the hospital wing."

"Why are you worried?"

Harry broke into a wide smile. Hadn't he spent the last five minutes confessing all that?

Malfoy opened his eyes and on seeing Harry's expression, rolled them. Although he couldn't hide that the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

"Well if you're taking me back to the castle I'll put the charms on the broom. I'm not going through the same experience as last time."

"How do you know I came by broom?"

"Your glasses fogged up when you came in. You obviously forgot to charm them. Too worried about your hair I expect."

Harry ignored the blush that crept up his face.

"Fine, come on then." Harry pulled Draco up out of his seat. They stood very close together.

"Good evening ladies, Astoria, again it was a pleasure to meet you. Nightingale, Grossly, Hermione, Ron, I'll see you again soon, I promise. Luna and…Luna's friend."

"This is Rolf Scamander Harry, I love him too."

Rolf looked quite shocked at this statement and began making choking noises.

"I'm at your mercy." Luna told him.

"George, Angela."

"Have a good one Harry."

"Where did Neville go?"

"He left with Hannah before things got interesting."

"Oh, well, goodnight Charlie, I'm sorry we didn't get to chat."

"That's fine."

"Goodnight Hagrid, Maxime."

"Adeux 'Arry."

"Yeah, er night Harry."

Passing Rosmerta with a smile Harry pulled Malfoy out into the night.

"It's cold."

"Do you want my robe?" Harry offered.

"No, a heating charm will suffice."

Harry began to look for his Firebolt as Draco charmed his clothes.

"So, you, Harry Potter, are in love with me?"

"You're smiling in the dark aren't you?"

"No."

Harry swiftly cast _lumos_ and pointed it toward the liar. Draco was too slow to hide the pleased smirk.

"Well now I'm not in the dark am I?"

Harry chuckled and returned to unsticking the broom from the post.

"Are you smiling because I'm Harry Potter or because I love you?"

"Both."

Harry's heart jumped and he almost dropped his wand.

"Do you need help there?"

Harry got the broom free and so didn't need to answer. He climbed on it. Wordlessly Draco climbed on behind him. Harry felt his waist become encircled by Draco's arms, his breath caught. Draco's front pressed along his back. Was there more contact than usual? Harry couldn't tell, he couldn't think, he couldn't remember his own name.

"You're meant to kick off the ground." Draco whispered, his hot breath hitting the icy skin of Harry's neck in a way that made him gasp. Draco's arms tightened slightly.

Carefully Harry forced his shaking legs to kick away from the ground. He hoped he remembered how to fly.

Draco shifted behind him.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked when he wouldn't stop.

"Just placing the charms."

"Will they work?"

"Yeah, should be fine. After all neither of us are unconscious."

Draco had leant away from Harry to finish the charms. Now he pressed back against him with full force. His arms holding him tight as Harry gripped the broom.

"You're holding me rather tight aren't you?" Harry asked over his shoulder.

"I am doing no such thing!" Draco replied indignantly.

"I'm not going to lose control of the broom."

"I can move away if you like?"

"No!"

Draco laughed. He loosened his arms and then encircled them higher, around Harry's chest, where his left hand splayed against Harry's heart. Harry momentarily closed his eyes and shuddered. Remembering he was flying a broom he quickly opened them again.

"This is all very strange." He heard Malfoy murmur.

"Did you expect something else? Oh look I can see Hogwarts."

"Why is it you insist on acting so happy? I said I didn't love you."

Harry laughed and dropped the broom a bit.

"You see Malfoy that's the thing. If I had told you I loved you and you had no feelings for me you'd have been overjoyed. You'd have immediately jumped at the chance to take advantage of me."

"Well…"

"But you didn't. You got upset and immediately began saying you had no feelings for me. In my experience that's not how Slytherins work."

"Harry I-"

"So there's hope."

Harry dropped the broom a bit more.

"Or I simply see no way of taking advantage of your infatuation."

"Really? Not even for your own amusement?"

Draco clearly had no answer.

Harry dropped the broom a little more sharply. Draco clung tighter.

"Admit you have feelings for me."

"I have feelings for you." Draco said quickly.

Always the coward. Harry thought. Or perhaps in this case, very brave.

"Really?"

"No!"

"Then why'd you say it?" Harry dropped the broom so they came nearly to the ground.

"OK YES! YES, I LIKE YOU! I MAY EVEN LOVE YOU! YOU'RE HARRY BLOODY POTTER IT'S IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO FEEL _SOMETHING_ FOR YOU! YOU EVEN SAVED _MY_ LIFE! NOT TO MENTION EVERYONE ELSES!"

There toes brushed the grass and Draco barrel-rolled off the handle.

Harry got off properly and helped the blond to his feet, brushing some grass off him.

"Don't tell me you've decided to humiliate me now."

"Aren't I the one who is humiliated, Harry?"

Harry laughed. He took Draco's hand and they walked toward the castle together.

"I am not visiting that infernal hospital wing."

"Well you should."

"I didn't go into shock."

"Well you might later. You've had the flash backs and they usually begin it."

"I think I know my mind."

Draco should have let Harry fly them to the front door it was freezing outside. They entered through the clock tower, passing the pendulum in the dark and walked up the grand staircase together.

"It's too bloody dark in this place." Draco mumbled.

"Well it is night."

"You're still taking me to the infirmary aren't you?"

Harry nodded in reply.

Through the tapestry corridor they moved into the first floor corridor and eventually came to one of the secret entrances to the teacher's lounge.

Harry pushed Draco ahead of him.

They cut through it and came out in front of the Hospital Wing.

"Madam Pomfrey!" Harry called out. Draco stopped him from repeating his cry by grabbed hold of his free hand.

They stood toe to toe, their faces a breath apart.

"I'll never forget that moment." Draco whispered, bushing some of Harry's fly-away hair off his freezing forehead. "When you came back for me and reached down your hand. I hated you so much. Everything I'd said to you and everything I tried to do, you should have left me to die. But you made my life just that much more miserable by making me indebted to you. Was that enough?" Harry blinked rapidly, he had no idea what was going on. "No, then you had to come to my trial and keep me out of prison, everywhere I look, there you are and now you tell me you're in love with me?"

Harry gulped.

"I hate myself for admitting it, but you win, I've been obsessed with you for years, hating you thinking about you…constantly…this will never EVER work but I'm giving you a chance."

"I don't understand."

Draco's head leant forward, his lips brushed against Harry's. The grip of their hands tightened. Harry leant forward too. He needed to deepen the kiss something inside him demanded it. He tried to pull his hands free from Draco's so he could pull their bodies together.

"Mr. Potter!"

Draco pulled away and looked scandalized. He even stumbled a bit.

"What are you doing? Why are you even in here?" Pomfrey demanded.

"I-I-Draco-he."

"I had a bit of an episode in Hogsmeade this evening." Draco said forlornly. "Potter was just taking advantage of my vulnerability."

Harry received a scathing glare from Pomfrey.

She began bustling Malfoy inside. Harry couldn't respond, he had raised his fingers to his tingling lips.

Malfoy turned around to look at him over his shoulder.

'_Humiliation' _He mouthed, with an evil grin. Then he held up his pointer finger. '_One chance.'_

Harry was dumbfounded. So had it all been an evil trick or was Malfoy giving him a chance? Was anything Malfoy said true? Or was he saying what Harry wanted to hear?

Nothing was clear and nothing made sense.

Harry decided to go to bed.

* * *

He awoke with a start. It was light out. Wednesday. He had no patience for Wednesdays. They were big fat wastes of time.

He'd told Malfoy he loved him.

Harry tumbled from his bed, taking his wand with him. He left it unmade as usual. He plunked down the blurry steps and stumbled to the fire.

_Incendio. _The mulch of kindling inside caught fire. Reaching for some Floo he sprayed it over the edge of the urn and onto the carpet, managing to get only a few granules into the fire. The flames turned green.

Biting back tears and a frothing wave of anxiety he dropped to his knees.

"Healer Everglade's office, St Mungo's." He ordered.

Dante looked up from his chair.

"Harry? Is that you?"

Harry coughed soot out of his mouth.

"I need to be resubmitted!"

"Resubmitted? To what?"

"Back into St. Mungo's! I have lost my mind!"

"Harry, Harry, calm down. Start from the beginning."

"Who cares about the beginning? I told Malfoy I loved him!"

"Well…that's…well…one might argue that I'm professionally obligated to put you back in hospital."

"Because I asked?"

"Because you're insane."

Harry forgot to talk for a while. His healer had just flat-out called him insane.

"This is all my fault." Everglade sighed.

"I hardly see how it is!"

The healer sighed. He stood up from his desk and walked over to where Harry's head coughed, spluttered and scowled.

He knelt.

"Harry, have you ever heard of the muggle phrase 'reverse psychology'?"

Harry thought.

"Hermione might have mentioned it."

"It means telling a person one thing so they do the opposite."

"What's that got to do with me?"

For a moment Everglade smiled, but he quickly wiped that expression away.

"Harry, no one is going to say you don't follow orders well. For a lot of your life people have told you what to do and you've done it."

Harry glared. That was putting things lightly.

"But from what you've told me." The healer continued. "In the past you've also been very good at going _against_ orders."

"That's not got anything to do with what I'm telling you!" Harry roared.

"It does Harry, listen. I knew if I told you to associate with Malfoy for your own good that you'd do your best to follow my orders as you have done in the past. But I also knew that the only way you would consciously _want _to interact with him is if I told you, you couldn't."

Harry recalled the meeting where Dante had told him that Malfoy was no good. He was right, that had turned everything around.

"You!"

"Now wait Harry, I made you want to interact with him, not fall in love with him, you did that on your own."

Harry wasn't listening.

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS? YOU'RE MY HEALER! YOU'RE MEANT TO HELP ME! NOT RUIN MY LIFE!"

"That's being a bit melodramatic. Is your life really _ruined_? Did Mr. Malfoy react badly?"

"No! He reacted worse than badly!"

"Did he curse you?" Dante seemed to ask reluctantly.

Harry's heart raced. He could remember clearly for the first time since getting up what Malfoy had said.

"He gave me a chance." Harry told the Healer, softly.

"He did what?"

"He's giving me a chance." Harry said clearer.

Dante Everglade's jaw dropped.

"Well then, so…" A pause of silence stretched on. Everglade clearly had lost his ability to speak and Harry was unwilling to say the truth out loud.

Eventually Everglade said it.

"You and Draco Malfoy…are in a relationship?"

Harry didn't even nod. He couldn't.

Dante got back on his feet.

"Harry. In all seriousness, this will be big news. The two of you…I doubt you'll handle the pressure, of press. How do you feel about this?"

Harry, again, couldn't respond.

"Do you think you might want to keep this quiet?"

"It's too late." Harry's reply came out strained. "When I told him I…how I felt, we were in a crowded pub, everyone heard and our friends were there, Luna Lovegood, the editor of the Quibbler, she heard everything."

Everglade made a whimpering sound.

"So it's out. Harry, in the wake of the war the press will cling to this news like there's no tomorrow, the public want a feel-good story, especially after the MA attacks."

"So Malfoy and I are going to get hassled." Harry realized aloud.

"Will you be ready?"

"No. I barely think this will work at all. I don't even know if he feels anything for me. He could just be being…"

"Slytherin?"

"No, Malfoy. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Well no body ever does. At least now you're going after what you want. There's no point saying it won't work this early."

"But it won't."

"It will be very, very difficult. You will have to work on a relationship like this a lot, Mr. Malfoy might not put any effort in on his part, and if he's being 'Malfoy', like you said all the effort you put in might be for nothing."

"I shouldn't even try." Harry remarked.

"No, I didn't say that. You should definitely try, try as hard as you can until it no longer makes you happy."

"I'm not happy now." Harry pointed out.

"Are you trying now?" Everglade asked.

No, Harry supposed he wasn't.

"I'm off." He told the healer and pulled his head out of the fireplace.

* * *

Harry went through the motions of the day thinking about Malfoy. When he should go to him. What he should say. How he should say it. He wasn't even sure if they even _were _in a relationship. Malfoy had said one chance, but that had been right after he'd tricked him into being scolded by Madam Pomfrey.

With a kiss. Harry thought, Malfoy had kissed him; he didn't need to do that.

Remembering it he stumbled down the stairs and dropped the mountain of Quidditch schedules he carried.

Luckily no one was around to see.

The classes would be ending. Malfoy would have third years and Harry felt annoyed that he knew the other wizard's timetable so well. When they left he'd be grading papers over dinnertime, that's why he never showed up in the Great Hall in the evenings. Harry would have to go and see him then because after 8pm Malfoy began working with Maligna, he had passed his NEWTS and was beginning higher training.

Again Harry was shocked and annoyed that he knew this, he must have overheard it all.

With a very crumpled pile of Quidditch papers in his hands Harry tripped toward the dungeons.

He managed to pause at the bottom of the staircase and with a quick _reducio _deposited the schedules inside his robes.

Despite being on level floor he stumbled again and barely managed to right himself.

With a beating heart he ran. Realizing he was running right before the potion's classroom he halted, straightened his robes and walked casually to the door of the potions professor's office.

The door was open.

"Come in Potter, Slughorn's meeting with McGonagall."

He hadn't looked up. How had he done that?

Harry realised he hadn't done such a good job fixing his robes. He tried rapidly to straighten them.

There was a click. Malfoy had slammed his quill down on the desk in front of him.

"Are you coming in or not?"

Harry looked up wearily.

"I am in."

"You look fine. Take shut the door and take a seat."  
Harry shut the door but instead of taking a seat he came around the back of Malfoy's chair.

"Grading papers?" He asked.

"No I've decided to forego wizardry and take up drawing…with a quill…on student's assignments."

Harry pulled a seat around and sat on it, knee-to-knee with Draco.

The blond snickered.

"Can I help?" Harry asked.

"Not likely."

"What are these? Second year?" Harry pulled one of the pieces of parchment toward himself.

"First year."

"Simple."

Harry leant over them and his robed arm touched Draco's.

"I don't think so."

Harry looked over the sheet, it was a detailed table written in Draco's hand, of a student's performance.

"Boil cure? Isn't it a little early in the year for that?"

"My students are up to it." Draco said over the scratching of his quill.

Harry scanned the page.

"They added all the crushed fangs. I'm guessing extreme potency? So how bad was the cauldron damage?"

"I threw it away."

"At least they did everything else right, remembering only four measures of crushed fangs is hard. An E or A?"

Malfoy shook his head.

"Not P? Giving them a Poor is a bit harsh."

Draco snatched the paper and scribbled sharply on it. When Harry got it back the red shone.

"D? You gave them a dreadful? For one mistake?"

"For damaging school property."

Harry gaped and picked up the next paper.

"Frost!" He exclaimed, seeing the name Lucy Frost.

"You know the Frosts?" Draco asked, looking at Harry for a second. He shifted and their legs brushed.

"Only Lucy, she's a Moonfrog."

A smile crossed Malfoy's face flittingly.

"Of course." He sighed and added "The Frosts are related to Maligna."

"Frosts, there's more than one of them?" Harry asked, looking over the parchment again.

"At Hogwarts there's about four, Maligna has two sisters and their children come here now."

"Are her sisters potions masters as well?"

"Yes. How did you guess?"

"Lucy's potion was perfect."

"I know." Malfoy placed the perfectly scarlet liquid on the desk. "Look at it! It could clear boils before they even happen."

"O then." Harry replied happily, preparing to print the 'outstanding' mark on the paper.

Malfoy beat him to it and scribbled 'E'.

"She spoke in class." He explained.

"You can't be serious."

"It's the highest grade I'm giving."

Harry looked disappointed at the parchment. He grabbed the next one.

Ferdy Plath.

"He stirred anti-clockwise instead of clockwise and forgot his quill, so I'm guessing….T?"

Harry said as a joke.

"Correct." Malfoy passed Harry the quill. "Mark it down."

"What? No! This isn't worth a T."

"If it was an exam and he had left his quill behind that's exactly what it would be worth. Now Harry, you insist on coming in here and interfering with my work, the least you could do is what I say!"

Harry marked the T.

That was the last one.

Harry grinned at Draco.

"You came here just to help?" Malfoy asked, almost painfully.

"What are boyfriends for?"

Malfoy cringed. Harry ignored him.

"Dinner?"

"In eight minutes Maligna will firecall me with new details about the potion you were given."

"Details?"

"Places I can go and find more information."

"So, you don't have anything at the moment?"

Draco sighed and put his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes.

"No." He replied eventually.

Almost timidly Harry reached out and rubbed Malfoy's shoulder. It was stiff as stone.

"Draco! Draco!"

They looked up.

Maligna's tiny pale face sat in the flames.

"No time to chat. Ashcliffe mines, there are potions written on the stones inside. It used to be a vampire dwelling."

"Lovely." Draco sighed.

"It's the best I could do."

"I'll ask McGonagall for the time off."

"Well your WOMBAT score is an O so I don't think she'll be saying no to you any time soon."

Red ink splatted across the table, Draco's quill had broken.

"But I haven't sat them…"

"You're NEWTs came out above O and your extra work on these newly discovered love potions someone's cramming at Harry Potter filled in the rest. Congratulations you're the youngest potions master in over two centuries."

Maligna's face vanished from the fireplace.

Draco stared at his dripping red hand, the damaged quill, he was paler than usual.

Harry grinned manically. It was an unstoppable reaction. This was probably the first good thing to happen for Malfoy since the war.

Draco wouldn't look at him.

Harry grasped his shoulders and pulled Draco toward him. Their lips met hot and soft. Harry pushed his tongue inside, feeling Draco's push back, sending shocks right down to his groin.

There were no potions.

He was kissing Draco Malfoy, of all people.

Harry didn't pull back. He couldn't. He pushed forward harder and pulled Draco in closer, dragging his chair an inch across the stone. Draco's hands grabbed his waist for support as Harry leant over him, his legs either side of the chair.

Breathing wasn't coming easy.

They leant back for air, pulling it in, in lungful's.

"Congratulations." Harry gasped.

"This might just work." Came Draco's breathless reply before he leaned back in for more.

* * *

Harry stumbled from the offices not four minutes later, his robes pushed off his shoulders, his glasses askew and his hair completely on end. If he had come across a mirror and looked in it, the phased and sappy expression on his face would have shocked him.

That blasted clock! Why did Slughorn have to have the thing on his desk? It's stupid ringing and awful shrill voice shouting, "Get back to work!"

Harry had assumed Draco would ignore it and keep on kissing him. Especially when he had moaned out loud.

Harry didn't even think anything of it when he was pushed away.

Only when he was shoved outside the office accompanied by the under-the-breath mutterings of.

"Merlin, Harry bloody Potter. What have I become?"

Had he realized he was being kicked out.

He managed to make it back to the teacher's lounge without even seeing where he was going.

He waved at Neville with a smile.

"Err…. Harry?"

Harry entered his quarters and went up to his bedroom.

There was business he needed to finish.


	17. Good Morning

_A/N - Congrats on getting so far. Let the smut begin._

_Warning - slash sexual acts that warrant an M rating_

_Disclaimer - The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books._

* * *

"Good morning."

Harry had fallen asleep on his bed, totally spent. Not wearing a scrap of clothing at that. He tried to grab the sheets out from under him to cover himself, causing him to fall on the floor with an "umph!"

"Classy, Potter."

"Malfoy, What are you doing in here?"

"Well you left so suddenly last night."

"You kicked me out."

"Your timing was dismal. Nonetheless you promised me dinner."

"It's seven in the morning!"

"Unlike you I'm granting the courtesy of proper warning."

Harry gave up on modesty and stood, cupping his unmentionables in his hands.

"You're taking me out to dinner?"

Draco's eyes had drifted but they instantly snapped back to Harry's face. He snickered.

"No Potter, you will take me out to dinner. I want to see if you have what it takes to date me."

Harry stepped around the bed, grinning. He let go of himself and instead took hold of Malfoy's hips, pressing their bodies together.

"Oh, I have what it takes."

"P-Potter, you're naked!"

"Hmm? What did you expect?"

"Not this." Malfoy half-murmured to himself. "I swear to Merlin, not this."

Harry pressed his lips gently against Draco's throat.

"This is entirely inappropriate!"

"What? You just asked me out. Of course it is."

Malfoy's eyes shut and he drew in a deep breath. Harry took the opportunity. He found Draco's mouth and brought their lips together. Draco's opened without prompting. Almost immediately after Harry got shoved away.

"Harry, your breath is pungent!"

Self-consciously Harry wiped his mouth on the back of his arm.

"Well you did just wake me up."

Malfoy rolled his eyes.

"Go bathe, I'll wait for you."

"Why?"

Malfoy's cheeks pinked. "So we can go to breakfast you buffoon!"

Harry collected his glasses and wand and glared at Malfoy. What a way to ruin a moment. Besides Harry knew for certain that Malfoy would be snooping through his things as soon as he left. Not that it mattered, until Harry was to change the password to his door Malfoy could break in any time he wanted. Taking some clean robes Harry left to his bathroom smiling. That wasn't about to happen.

* * *

After finishing a large breakfast sitting beside Malfoy Harry almost kissed him goodbye. He received a sharp kick under the table for that. He would have said something then to torture Malfoy but McGonagall had finally entered the Great Hall and Harry was eager to avoid her.

Out of breath he arrived for his Quidditch class.

When he could finally dismiss his unruly students he skipped to his office and worked on the next week's plans. He brushed up the gaming schedules and drafted the proposition of junior training sessions he meant to give to McGonagall. The entire business proved long and tiresome but Harry needed to do it because he needed someone's help and she was the type of person who would refuse to help him if he was behind in his work.

"Hermione I need dating advice."

He had caught her outside the charm's classroom and so they received a respectable audience as Hermione clutched her sides and roared with laughter. Every time she looked up at Harry's face, ready to respond, another burst of mirth seized her. Eventually tears ran down her cheeks and she'd lost all her breath.

"Come on, let's find a more quiet spot to talk about this." She told Harry and took up his arm.

They quickly came across and empty classroom and hurried inside.

"So…" Hermione suppressed another giggle. "You and Malfoy…?"

Harry shrugged.

"Maybe. It all might be a trick."

Hermione nodded. "Probably."

"Still he wants me to take him to dinner tonight."

"_Malfoy _does?"

Harry nodded.

Hermione went red in the face and snorted.

"Hermione!"

"Sorry. Okay, look have you ever been to a wizarding restaurant before?"

Harry slowly shook his head, he'd been to the Hog's Head, the Leaky Cauldron, Stews and Brews and the Broomsticks but he didn't think those counted at 'restaurants'.

"I went to one in France. They're ridiculously expensive, they move around and you have to book months in advance. No doubt Malfoy's been to lots of them."

Harry scratched the back of his head.

"Does he expect me to get into one?"

Hermione shook her head sadly. "No, I think he expects you to make a fool of yourself, taking him somewhere he deems lower class."

She was probably right.

"Then what should I do?"

Hermione's face brightened. "I have an idea."

"Yes?"

"You cook, don't you?"

Harry nodded slowly.

"Then do that! He won't expect it."

"But I only know how to cook the muggle dishes the Dursleys used to eat."

"Even better, he won't be able to criticize something he's never tried before. Besides most of the time wizarding food is no different to muggle food, it's just simpler to make."

Harry nodded.

"Harry, don't cook for him in your quarters. Take him to Grimmauld or something."

"I wasn't going to take him to my quarters." Harry retorted.

"Harry, you do realize how utterly ridiculous this is? Malfoy's a horrible person."

"I know."

"And he hasn't done anything to prove otherwise."

"He hasn't been completely horrible. He is still trying to find out where those potions came from."

"Wasn't he caught up in that?"

Harry nodded.

"So doesn't he benefit from that more than you?"

Harry shrugged and nodded again.

"Harry why are you doing this? I must admit I'm not entirely surprised that you like..other men, but I always thought you were interested in Justin Flinch-Fletchley, why couldn't you have gone for him? He's a _Hufflepuff _he works for the ministry, why Malfoy? Doesn't this just make your life more complicated?"

Harry's jaw dropped. How had Hermione known about Justin? Even Harry hadn't really paid much attention to his ever-growing childhood obsession with Justin. Although that obsession had been eclipsed tenfold by that he had for Malfoy.

"Hermione, I can't explain it, he's the most annoying person in the world. I've never been able to leave him alone, not since sixth year, actually, not since second year. I don't think I'll ever stop being obsessed with him."

"But it's dangerous Harry, we all heard him say he'll break your heart." She bit her lip. "Oh, why did you have to tell him you love him? You didn't mean it did you? You're just upset because of Ginny…"

"That's just it Hermione, I'm not upset over Ginny at all."

"Why not?"

"Because when I found out about her engagement, I'd kissed Malfoy. I was figuring out I was in love with him."

"What if he hates you?"

"Well he does, I know he does. And I hate him but there's something more."

"Like what Harry? What could counter something so poisonous in a relationship?"

"We need each other. We need to hate each other. It's the only thing in life that feels right and…comfortable…I really don't know. I just know that I don't want it to stop."

Hermione's face broke into despair "What about us, your friends. If you needed someone to reach out to, you could reach out to us. Not someone who's always been out to hurt you."

Harry smiled.

She was right. Even though her and Ron had each other. But more so she was right about Draco. He was always out to hurt Harry.

"Thanks." He told her.

Hermione looked confused.

"You've helped a lot,"

"Don't think I'm not supportive of you, I am, I'm glad you're looking for love now and I'm glad you're not hiding anything from us…"

Harry smiled at her some more.

"I know." Harry looked out the classroom window at the afternoon clouds. "I should get going."

Hermione caught him up in a hug. "Good luck." She breathed.

He pulled away from her.

"And Harry, don't try to cook anything too difficult."

* * *

In the kitchen of Grimmauld place Harry stood over the filet mignon sizzling within a perfectly applied heat charm and béarnaise sauce. A potato gratin emitted steam beside it, competing with the roasted asparagus swimming in a pool of butter, lemon and shallots. Blue cheese cake and chocolate strawberry sorbet were underway with Harry's magic dutifully stirring and cooking. Hermione had been right; magic did make cooking so much easier.

Fortunately after leaving her Harry had the presence of mind to send a patronus to the dungeons saying

"_Floo__ to 12 Grimmauld Place, 8pm Dinner."_

Hopefully it was enough.

"Kreacher, stop setting the table! I told you I'd do it."

"But Master Malfoy is coming here! The Black blood is returning and you has done it all wrong!"

Harry tried to calmly plate the evening's meals.

"Here, Kreacher, I've made you some too, you can eat it now if you like."

The house elf plodded into the kitchen and snatched the plated food from Harry.

"Kreacher fixed the table." He informed before disappearing.

Harry took the two plates for him and Draco into the dining room and almost dropped them.

A Wizarding beverage of some sort sat pinkish-amber and sparkling in glittering glasses shaped like tulips, or some other similar flower. Rows of ambiguous silver cutlery lined the two set places and in the middle was a lit candle hovering above the table's surface. It was too much; Harry would never go to so much effort, especially not for Draco. The blond wizard was going to take one look at the room and leave again. Laughing. Harry placed the plates down and frantically began looking at the silverware, trying to decide which to put back.

"Well, this is adequate."

It was too late. Somehow flooing in silently Malfoy had snuck up behind Harry, scaring the living daylights out of him.

"I didn't do it." Harry informed, embarrassed.

"Well of course not." Malfoy laughed, taking his seat. "This is the work of a House Elf, I doubt you even know what these are for." Malfoy picked up a twisted looking fork, to prove his point.

Harry sat down too, feeling a little better.

"Did the house elf cook this?" Malfoy asked, looking at his food.

Harry didn't answer, he took a small mouthful and smiled he had done well. Malfoy followed suit and looked surprised.

"This is superb."

"Thanks."

"I didn't take you for one that would take credit for a House Elf."

"Kreacher's a free elf, or at least as good as. I didn't ask him to set the table; he did that on his own. As for the cooking, that was me."

Draco took another mouthful.

"Well?" Harry asked.

Malfoy swallowed. "Well what?"

"Aren't you going to say anything?"

"Like what? There isn't anything I can insult."

Harry grinned. That was good enough for him.

Both continued eating.

"Have you heard who McGonagall's going to replace you with at the school?"

Harry almost choked on his drink.

"What?"

"She's expecting you to leave for the Ministry one day, I suspect. Anyway the board of governors lined up Gwenog Jones, this will be her last season with the Harpies."

"Oh, well, that's…I didn't think about that."

Harry took an asparagus spear and chewed it thoughtfully.

"Well I'm just telling you so you can get yourself ready. Maybe actually learn what the Auror examinations are."

"How do you know I want to be an Auror?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Of course you want to be an Auror. "

"How is investigating the potion going?"

Draco shrugged. "I'll be visiting Ashcliffe on Saturday, McGonagall said I could go tonight but I really don't want Slughorn taking over my classes tomorrow."

"It's only Friday." Harry pointed out. Both of them knew student's barely learnt anything on Fridays.

"Still, it's a whole day."

Harry nodded. Both had finished their main course and so Harry vanished the dished and summoned the deserts in.

"So this is my mother's family's house…" Draco commented, peering around.

"Well not anymore." Harry retorted, smugly.

Draco sipped his drink. "Sorry I meant _your _house."

"It's not my house either, I'm giving it away."

"You can't be serious? Who is so much in your favor you're giving a house to them? It isn't that mediwizard…is it?"

Harry laughed. "It's not so much someone who is in my favor as they are in the house's favor. It's Kreacher, he's been looking after this place for generations, it means something to him."

Draco blinked. "That name sounds awfully familiar but I just know you don't mean…"

"The House Elf, Draco, yes. He's been a helpful ally to me in times past and to be honest this house has too. But it has bad memories, I don't want to live here."

"You're giving, this ancient pure-blood family's house to a House Elf?"

Harry had almost expected anger from Draco.

"Do you have any idea how expensive this real-estate is?"

"I assume very."

"That's understating it."

At least he'd expected Draco to argue with him. He had not expected Draco to be so amused. Draco laughing properly was quite a sight and Harry enjoyed it.

The blond caught his breath and composed himself.

"There are laws you know, is it even legal for a House Elf to own property?"

"I have connections." Harry shrugged, thinking of Hermione.

"Yes, I suppose you know Harry Potter."

Harry smiled; Draco's sense of humor was beginning to grow on him.

"I can't believe Gwenog Jones is quitting Quidditch."

"That's what happens when they bring in younger, better players." Draco replied nonchalantly.

Harry didn't want to talk about Ginny.

"How are your parents?"

Draco put down his forkful of cheesecake.

Harry elaborated. "Well it's just I thought Andromeda was coming in this Saturday to talk to you about them. Only now you're going to the mines instead."

Draco paled. "I forgot about that…"

Harry sat up straight in his chair.

"Draco, I can talk to her if you like. I'm all for your father sitting out his time in Azkaban but your mother saved my life. If we can get her wand back…"

"Her wand was destroyed in the battle." Draco reminded Harry.

"Then, if she can be released from house arrest and allowed a new wand…also, if it helps you at all we can play up a friendship for the papers, I'll make a statement about how redeemed you are and helping the new generation at Hogwarts regardless of blood status."

Draco narrowed his eyes. "Why would you need to do that? Play up a _friendship_?"

Harry sucked in a breath.

"Because I can't do this."

"Harry…"

"Just listen, Draco. It was unfair that I said anything to you at all. I haven't been coping, after the war and those potions must have messed me up more than I thought…"

"Harry, what…"

"The position I put you in…it's understandable that my outburst lead to this, it is." Harry gulped. "But I know you don't love me and I'm not even sure I meant what I said anymore. So to make up for it, I'll help you. The press will be more understanding of a friendship between us, if anything will help your parents, that will. And if you came here tonight just so you could humiliate me in the future, well, you still can, you'll just have to be more creative."

"Harry!"

"No, Draco, it's okay. I'm going to go back to Hogwarts now."

Harry stood up and Draco followed suit.

"You've been through a lot, not many people will understand that but I do. Go back to Astoria. I'll find someone else. You can forget I ever said anything."

Harry marched to the fireplace, which was thankfully still lit and thankfully there was a full supply of Floo powder. Harry tossed a handful into the flames and stepped in "Hogwarts, Harry Potter's quarters." He told the fire sadly.

In his dark room he stepped out of the ashy fireplace and stained the carpet under his feet. He sighed deeply. It was for the best, he'd just gotten himself out of a big mess that was going to get out of control very quickly. Definitely for the best.

Maybe he could get Hermione to introduce him to Justin again, or see if Charlie knew anyone…

The room illuminated. Harry was pushed against the nearest wall, Draco's furious face glared at him.

"Draco…"

"Harry! For goodness sake, you have to learn to listen to me!"

Harry blinked.

"You're in my quarters again." He pointed out stupidly.

"I followed you through the Floo."

"Okay…"

Malfoy's face grew even angrier. "That's not the point!" Malfoy took a moment to think. Harry looked at the ball of light Draco had conjured. It hovered behind his shoulder. "This is the point."

Harry tried to look back at Draco's face to see what he meant but he couldn't see it anymore. They were kissing, deep and wet and there was no Pomfrey around.

One of Malfoy's Hands slid under Harry's robes and under his shirt, spreading over the skin of his abdomen, causing goose bumps to rise. Harry shivered but didn't pull away. He couldn't, Draco had him pinned against the wall and his leg was between Harry's thighs, his hand was under his shirt; his tongue was in his mouth. Harry moaned. Draco's other hand was pushed deep into his hair. The hand on his skin slid up to his chest, massaging it. But Harry couldn't accept it. All over his body was alive but somehow the thought wriggled in of, why the hell was Draco doing this?

Harry's hands had found their usual grip on Draco's hips. Tensing his arms Harry pushed. Their kiss broke.

"What are you doing?" Harry managed to ask.

Draco growled. It was an unexpected reaction and Harry laughed.

"Harry, I can't go back to Astoria."

"Why not?" Harry asked. He had pushed Draco away but he couldn't bring himself to let go completely. His hands still rested on Draco's hips.

"That marriage contract I had with her, it was between our parents. And probably the one chance my family had of redemption in pure blood circles."

"Then _go back_." Harry was struggling not to sound spiteful.

"Even after your ridiculous outburst in the Broomsticks the marriage was still on, but the next day I owled the Greengrass' and cancelled it."

"Why? Why would you do that?"

"Because there's no way I'm staying betrothed to that witch if there's a chance I can be with you."

Harry gulped, he could be almost sure Malfoy hadn't meant it the way it sounded.

"You don't have to do it that way now. I told you, I'd help you with the press."

"_Fuck _the press! I always knew you and I being a couple would bring nothing but bad press. It won't only infuriate my parents but it will probably keep them locked up longer."

"Then…why...I mean you came to dinner tonight."

"Yes, I did. Because yesterday you said dinner and I wanted to have dinner with you."

Draco leant in, supporting himself on the wall behind Harry. There was no space between them, no space to think or breathe.

"You came so you could humiliate me."

"I would humiliate you whether I came tonight, Harry, or not."

Harry looked up; trying to pretend Malfoy wasn't so close.

"You tricked me in the hospital wing."

"That was…uncouth of me. Call it a bad habit?"

Draco's lips pressed against Harry's exposed throat, the contact jolted through his whole body. Moving back Draco licked along Harry's neck, up to his ear in one stroke.

"I don't need to do this." Draco whispered, placing his hand behind Harry's back and pushing their bodies, flat, together. "Not if I was just trying to use you."

"Then why?"

Draco sighed and looked at Harry, a somewhat bored expression on his face.

"I suppose one could say it's because I reciprocate your feelings, though you won't hear me declaring it in a crowded bar."

"You…really? You can't say it like that. Tell me properly if you mean it."

Draco sighed.

"I love you…Potter."

Harry laughed. Even in the dim light he could tell how embarrassed Draco was.

"I _meant _to say Harry."

Harry kept laughing.

"Not so much any more!" Draco snapped.

Harry grabbed hold of Draco's face and recaptured their kiss. It was good enough, his mind couldn't think of why Draco would say that he loved him. So for the moment he could be happy.

Draco broke away. "Do you know what you're doing?" He asked.

"No." Harry breathed. He most certainly didn't know what he was doing in any sense so it didn't matter what Draco's question related to.

"Me neither." Draco replied and their lips re-connected. Draco's tongue pushed against Harry's. Harry tugged at Malfoy's robes. They were fitted and elaborately clasped, however still no match for a determined and horny young wizard. Harry had them undone and stripped them away from Draco who eagerly helped before pulling Harry back against him so they could kiss more. Harry felt their erections rub through their trousers; he nudged his hips forward, increasing the contact. It was unbearable. He did it again, pushing his hips even harder and felt Malfoy respond both against his crotch and into his mouth with a startled gasp. Draco's hands groped Harry's buttocks and pulled Harry toward him, making their contact tighter. Harry's hands busied themselves undoing Draco's buttons on his stupid shirt. Draco pulled out his wand and in a flash Harry's clothes were gone.

"Hey!"

Draco showed how much he cared by latching onto Harry's neck and sucking. Harry moaned and forgot what he was worried about. Draco's tongue slid out and licked ministrations down to Harry's chest, which he concentrated on. Harry buried his fingers in the blond strands of hair. Draco ignored the pulling as he licked down to Harry's navel and slid his tongue inside, dropping to his knees so that his breath warmed Harry's fully erect cock.

"Draco…" Harry let go of Draco's hair and wanted to pull him back to his feet. His arms and legs were shaking too much to do anything.

"Don't worry." Draco's voice revealed that he too was trembling. "I know what I'm doing."

Harry meant to say something, like "I'm sure you do." or "We can talk about this." But Draco indeed knew what he was doing and had run his tongue along the shaft of Harry's member, rendering Harry completely speechless.

Harry's knees almost gave out as Draco took the head into his mouth and then the shaft, deeper then what Harry thought possible. The result was wet and warm and Draco's tongue pulsed along the skin.

Harry's thoughts dropped from his head. It was Draco's mouth; Draco had his mouth on…him. He felt incredible.

Draco pulled back and grabbed a hold of the now wet cock with his hand. He licked the slit at the top and then took it all back into his mouth. Fluidly he pulled back, not all the way then pushed back forward.

In his own ears Harry heard his own breathing short and sharp. His head had dropped back and hit the wall behind him but it wasn't too easy to remember when that had been. He knew he couldn't blow, not so soon. And if he did, he needed to warn Malfoy.

"_Draco_." It came out as a deep moan. Harry took a few more breaths and tried again.

"Draco…I…I…."

Draco looked up, Harry's cock still buried behind his lips. It wasn't so much that Harry stopped breathing as some unseen force had reached inside him and ripped out all of his respiratory organs. His heart beat fast and heavy, waves of intense pleasure washed up and down his body. Draco hollowed out his cheeks and drew Harry's member in even further.

"I'm…" Harry closed his eyes and his breath returned. It felt like everything inside of him was leaving. When he felt Malfoy remove his mouth Harry dropped down to the ground too. He couldn't open his eyes.

"Harry…?" Malfoy's voice was the most worried one he had ever heard.

"Wow…" Harry breathed. He felt Draco clasp his hand. "How did you learn to do that?"

Malfoy cleared his throat. Slowly Harry opened his eyes. Draco's hair was a mess, almost as bad as Harry's on a normal day. His shirt was open and his trousers tented around his erection.

"Teach me." Harry insisted. He crawled over Malfoy and pulling his shirt off. For revenge he vanished the trousers and pants.

"What?"

"Teach me to do what you just did…"

"You've never had oral sex before?"

"Never done more than kiss." Harry insisted. He kissed Draco then, deeply and as ferociously as he could, at the same time he took his erection in hand, to prove he wasn't scared.

"You don't have to." Draco had leant back on his elbows, Harry could watch every rise and fall of his bare chest.

"Afraid I'll be better than you?" Harry whispered.

"You just put it in your mouth." Draco claimed quickly.

Harry wasn't listening to a word of it. He pushed himself backward and pried Draco's legs apart so he could settle between them. Harry knew, on himself at least, which was the most sensitive part. Wetting his lips he lowered them to the head and rubbed it against his parted mouth.

"Shit, Harry!"

Harry pushed his tongue out and licked it, he was sure Draco had done that too.

Draco moaned. Harry peered up at him and saw that his head had dropped back. That was good. Finally heeding the advice he took it all into his mouth. He almost choked. His body heaved and with great difficulty he held it all down. Above him Draco chuckled. A dangerous thing to do given their positions. Harry pulled back and used his hand to compensate for his mouth as he stopped his eyes from watering.

He tried again, starting at the head. He took it in deeper a little more after each stroke of his hand. There was no way he was letting Draco outdo him on this. The wizard in question was no longer laughing but had taken to gasping and swearing instead. Eventually Harry's lips closed around the base and without choking he hollowed his cheeks.

"Harry, pull back." He heard Draco faintly demand of him.

Without thinking he did and wiped the saliva off his face as he watched Draco come. With a shaking hand Draco reached for his wand and cast _Tergeo_. Now it was Harry's turn to feel worried.

He watched Draco's to see if he had done well. Draco remained on his back, panting. He managed to roll his eyes at Harry.

"Stop worrying."

Harry tried to speak.

"Sh." Draco held his finger up and Harry remained quiet. After a while Malfoy gave a nod and slowly sat up. He stood and stretched. From his vantage point on the ground Harry enjoyed the show.

Malfoy pulled Harry to his feet. Together they stumbled up to Harry's bedroom. They fell on Harry's bed and Malfoy pulled the covers over the both of them.

"You're not going to hear this from me a lot of the time so pay attention."

Harry rolled on to his side and looked at Malfoy's serious face.

"I don't know why…and I still hate you but I love you…Harry Potter."

Harry rolled back so he faced the ceiling.

"You're not going to cry are you?"

"Trying not to." Harry managed to whisper. "Do you mean it?"

Malfoy snickered at the ceiling.

"Harry, if you can come up with a reason I'm telling you this then you'll officially be a better Slytherin then I am."

Harry laughed. He pulled Draco back toward him and encased him in his arms, burying his nose into the blonde hair.

"Cuddling? Really?"

"Draco?"

"What?"

"Do you know how we're going to have sex?"

"How do you know that wasn't it?"

"Was it?"

Draco laughed. One short breath of it. "No."

"What do we do next then?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Harry kneed Draco, annoyed.

"Tell me!"

Draco sat up and leant down over Harry, pinning him to the mattress.

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."

Harry's breath caught.

"Stop pushing your luck and get to sleep."

Harry lifted his head and planted a brief kiss against Draco's lips.

"Fine."

With a sigh Malfoy fell down beside Harry who recaptured him in a hug. His nose found Draco's hair again and Harry closed his eyes.

He smiled.


	18. Fawkes

_A/N - I like this chapter and I hope you do as well. Any hardcore Potter-Heads will probably pick up on aspects of Rowling's interviews, especially about Grindlewald, I found what she's said about his and Dumbledore's relationship fascinating and wanted to use it as a starting point for more later._

_Warning - (spoilers) M-rated wizardxwizard action that may be offensive to those who "accidentally" found this story _

_Disclaimer - The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books._

* * *

Harry woke up alone.

Draco?

Barely dressed Harry stumbled into the teacher's lounge. He looked around. Sprout and Neville were just leaving.

"Neville!"

They paused and Harry rushed over to them.

"Have you seen Draco?"

Neville sighed.

"You're not stalking him now are you?"

Harry shook his head. "No, we're in love. I woke up this morning and he was gone."

"From a dream you were having?" Neville asked, looking almost as startled as Sprout.

"No, from my bed!"

"Potter!"

Harry spun around to see McGonagall and Flitwick, each with their arms crossed.

"Mr. Malfoy asked me to inform you that he's decided to go to Ashcliffe today after all. He seemed concerned that you would miss him this morning. Which is, of course entirely impossible as you and I agreed you would leave him alone during your time here."

Harry attempted a sheepish smile.

"I think, perhaps Mr. Potter made that agreement prior to some recent…err discoveries." Flitwick piped.

"Are the rumors true?" McGonagall asked, leaning forward.

Harry nodded.

McGonagall shook her head. Her face had turned deathly pale.

"This is all too familiar Potter."

Harry peered at the grave face's surrounding him, circling him so he was unable to leave.

"You're talking about Dumbledore and Grindlewald, aren't you?" Harry asked, remembering Rita Skeeter's infernal book.

More frowns met him.

"I wish you would all stop treating me like I have a choice in the matter! I can tell you that I don't."

Each frown turned into looks of shame as Harry's friends and co-workers faced their feet.

"Sorry Harry…" Neville murmured.

"It's just…" Squeaked Flitwick.

"Malfoy?" Sprout asked.

Harry grinned and he didn't care how large and soppy it looked.

"Yes, Malfoy. Who else?"

The following silence filled with the sound of McGonagall scratching her chin.

"I suppose this match is quite befitting, if the two of you can handle it."

She smiled at Harry.

"Herbology professors, I'm sure Harry is meaning to visit my office to discuss an up and coming training program for the younger Quidditch players. If you could please…"

Sprout and Neville sprung out of the way.

Harry smiled as he walked by. He almost passed them when he stopped and captured Neville in a hug.

"Thanks for being a great friend."

Neville hugged him back.

"Anytime. Just as long as I see you're getting better."

Harry let go and continued. He supposed he needed to get to the Headmistress' office.

McGonagall, of course, followed him and they each walked in silence. They arrived at the Griffin statue.

"_Montrose Magpies_" The headmistress told the door and the large statue moved so they could get access to the spiral staircase.

"Draco told me you were hiring Gwenog Jones."

Harry informed her as soon as his foot landed on the first step.

"Only if you ever wish to leave your post. After all, you only have to stay here until Healer Everglade clears you."

"He probably won't now I'm with Draco." Harry joked.

"Yes, I wish to talk to you about that." McGonagall replied sternly.

Harry entered the circular office and she followed.

"But first, more cheerful matters." The headmistress smiled.

"Right, Quidditch."

"Forget that for the moment. I believe you had your eighteenth birthday not more then a month ago."

Harry shrugged. He'd been holed up in Grimmauld then.

"Everyone is truly sorry for missing it, and you, as we weren't privy to your whereabouts. I did, in fact have a gift for you."

"No, I don't want any gifts." Harry began, holding up his hands.

"Hold your tongue! This is a unique circumstance. It seems this gift in question is bereft of an owner. He frightens my moggies and quite frankly the patronous I saw you send the other day was ridiculous."

Harry blinked, still not sure what McGonagall meant.

"I'm rather certain he lost his cage in the battle. Then, of course, he malted yesterday and singed my carpet, but here."

McGonagall reached into her robes and extracted something with one hand.

Harry took the tiny pink bird.

"I thought he had left forever, after the funeral." Harry breathed.

"It seems he came back."

Harry gently petted Fawkes' head and the Phoenix closed his eyes.

"Look after him. Now, sit."

Harry did so, still patting Fawkes. McGonagall rounded her desk and sat too, facing Harry with her fingers entwined.

"Harry, may I tell you something told to me very long ago, in private?"

Harry nodded slowly.

"Dumbledore was a brave, smart man. So much so I believe his bravery and intelligence isolated him. That is, I believe why he fell in love with Grindlewald, a man equally as brilliant. They were both isolated from others. Can you relate with this?"

"Yes." Harry replied honestly.

"But Grindlewald was a cruel narcissist Harry, enamored with dark magic. His betrayal of Dumbledore almost destroyed him. It stunned Dumbledore emotionally; he could never find love again. Harry, why would you risk that?"

Harry couldn't answer. Of course the parallels between him and Draco and Dumbledore and Gindlewald were obvious now but he hadn't considered them before.

Fawkes squawked and Harry looked down at him.

"Draco's different. We're not isolated because we're brilliant or anything, we're isolated because dark magic hurt us. I don't think he's using me."

"He might not be." McGonagall agreed. "But he has hurt you before, many times. The views you both hold about this world are extremely different."

"I know but I think the views we both have are changing."

"But what if they don't? Harry, what if he can't understand that your mother was muggleborn, that your friends aren't pureblood, that you are accepting of all magical beings and creatures?"

"He already has." Harry told her.

"And you? Can you accept the way he has treated you in that past, the way he has treated your friends?"

Fawkes squawked again and Harry sighed.

"I can't accept it. All I can do is try to understand. Malfoy hated muggleborns like he was trained to but he never murdered any. You heard him say it under Veritaserum. And he's different now. He never uses the M word, he's civil with Hermione and he annulled his betrothal to a pureblood witch to be with me."

McGonagall gasped. "He did?"

Harry nodded.

The headmistress smiled. "That is…quite remarkable."

Harry leant back. Relaxing a little.

"I've done a lot of thinking. It was when Malfoy and I were fighting in Malfoy Manor, for the wands, and I took his. That was when I gained ownership of the Elderwand."

McGonagall continued smiling. "Was it?"

"Yeah, don't you find that ridiculous? All that planning and the history of our world ended up hinged on a corner tussle where we didn't even use magic."

"I'm glad Malfoy let you win then."

"You think he let me win?" Harry asked.

McGonagall shrugged. "We can hope."

"So the training sessions…"

"Yes, yes, I approve it, do whatever you need to do to make them behave."

"I won't let you down."

"Draco should be back before dinner tonight. Here, take this."

McGonagall handed Harry a scroll of parchment.

"It's a map to Ashcliffe…in case he's late returning."

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome Harry."

Harry had found Hermione giggling with Genevieve Nightingale in the courtyard. She agreed to finish the schedules of the Quidditch training if Harry sat with them and told them how his night with Malfoy went.

He supposed he had no choice.

"He came to Grimmauld, we ate then we came back to Hogwarts."

"And that was it?" Hermione asked, not looking up from the pages of training plans.

"I tried to break it off actually. I didn't think Draco was taking the relationship seriously."

"And?" Nightingale and Hermione asked simultaneously.

"And he proved me wrong. He followed me back to my room and…kissed me."

Nightingale squealed.

"You slept together?" Hermione asked, scribbling along the margins in her lap.

"No…no, neither of us knows how."

The scribbling stopped.

Harry looked at the two witches. Each of them sat with open mouths, wide eyes and red cheeks. Unblinkingly staring at Harry.

Harry felt heat rising in his face too.

Hermione cleared her throat.

"You know there are books…"

"Don't make him go look that up in a library!" Nightingale snapped. Her blue eyes snapped to Harry's face. "Do you mind if I talk to you about this? I know it's very personal."

"I guess. I am the one who brought it up." Harry shrugged.

Nightingale moved along the bench a bit and crossed her legs.

"You'll need a lubrication. There's a Wizarding…shop of sorts off Diagon Alley…very discrete, you can have them deliver things to you by owl."

Harry thought of Fawkes and cringed. There was nothing discrete about that Phoenix.

"Lubrication? What for? Isn't that for cauldrons? Do we need to make a potion?"

Nightingale turned so red she was almost purple.

"My gosh, you really don't know anything."

Hermione pursed her lips and rolled her eyes.

"Harry do you know how babies are made?"

Harry nodded. Sirius had told him.

"Well when two wizards are together it's like that, only instead of the woman's part one of the men puts his…you know…in the other's…you know?" Hermione explained, using elaborate gestures.

"Hermione! That's a completely unromantic way to put it!" Nightingale snapped.

Harry stopped laughing. He had thought she was joking.

"So that's why I need the lubrication?" He squeaked.

Nightingale nodded. "That part's very tight. You need to um, prepare it."

Harry cleared his throat "Okay so how do we know which one gets to be the woman?"

Harry's head rung loudly as both witches smacked him with force.

"That's like asking which chopstick gets to be the fork!" Nightingale snapped.

"I'm glad Malfoy wasn't around to hear you saying something so utterly insensitive!" Hermione reprimanded.

Harry rubbed his head. "I didn't mean it like that!" He tried to defend himself.

"You'll find out eventually. Either you'll want to be on top and have Draco under you or you'll want to be bottom and, well, that's self-explanatory or each of you will want to take it in turns…" Hermione explained.

"As for the preparing, you use these." Nightingale said, wiggling her fingers. She held up one, then two, then three. "See?" She asked.

Harry almost choked. He eyed the witches suspiciously. "How on earth do you know all this?"

Inside the pocket of his robes Fawkes awakened and stuck his head out, looking almost as suspicious as Harry.

The two witches burst into giggles, rolling back so much they threatened to fall onto the ground.

"So where is this shop?" Harry asked them.

Nightingale sat back up; Hermione clung to her for support as she too rose.

"A little off Diagon Alley, down Absent Alley, that one past Gringotts? Shop 8 I think. It's called Mrs. Guthogg's Toy Emporium for Grown-Up Witches and Wizards. "

Harry blanched.

"Or you could go to a muggle chemist, or just buy it from one of Mungo's stores in Hogsmeade. They sell barrier charms and numbing lubrication, basically all the boring stuff. Not that safety is boring but trust me Guthogg knows what she's doing. I will send you a flyer and if you don't like it then I'll accept defeat." Nightingale smiled.

Harry reminded himself that she was the youngest Transfiguration Master in Britain, a difficult feat. A very bright witch, he wasn't about to insult her or question her integrity.

"Great, a flyer would be great." He stood up. "I have to go to the dungeons. Draco's meant to be back before dinner so…."

"Have fun!" The witches called as Harry fled from them.

Harry sat at Draco's desk eating the food he had stolen from the kitchens and snooping through everything he could lay his hands on. He had, so far, discovered three hidden compartments and drawers. Narrowly missing several curses he got his hands on a book bound in Moke skin. A quick _Engorgio _charm stopped it from shrinking. He tried desperately to open it, even stroking its spine. Eventually its corners began to burn and so Harry put it back away morosely.

Slughorn walked in and almost fainted.

"Hello!" Harry called to him through a mouthful of baked potato.

"N-n-nev-v-ver mind m-m-me Harry, I w-was just leaving!"

"Professor, you're trembling. Is something the matter?"

Slughorn turned to leave. Harry stood.

"No, wait! I'll go this is your office. I shouldn't have come in here!"

Harry collected the assortment of dishes, sticking the last of the potato in his mouth. Passing the trembling potions professor Harry swallowed his mouthful and looked at him.

"What time is it?" He asked.

Slughorn slid down the wall a fraction. "T-t-ten…"

"Ten PM?" Harry asked, startled.

"N-no, ten to midnight."

The food dropped from Harry's arms. Slughorn squealed as gravy splattered the bottom of his robes.

"I'm so sorry professor. May I use your fireplace?"

Slughorn nodded.

Harry almost stuck his foot into the flames before he put the floo powder in. As he was grabbing for it he glanced back at the wheezing potions master.

"Slughorn, I think you need to see a healer."

"S-seeing one my dear boy."

"Okay…good...Ashcliffe mines!"

The fire took him nowhere.

That was right; McGonagall gave him a map, probably because he had to fly there. Still standing in the flames he pulled it out of his pocket, waking the baby Fawkes who scrambled out from under the seeds and bread Harry tried feeding him. Harry unfolded the parchment.

Instead of a map or directions there was a detailed picture of an abandoned mine in a forest, underneath the word 'Norway' had been written.

"Norway? How am I meant to fly there?" Harry asked aloud after he stepped from the flames.

"Y-young man, have you never apparated before?"

Harry thanked Slughorn. He wouldn't have thought of that on his own. Not when he was so panicked about Draco.

"Do you think I should contact the Aurors?" Harry asked.

"W-w-whatever f-for?"

"Draco might have been attacked again…never mind I'll go myself. I'll send my patronus if there's anything the matter."

Harry pushed out of the office and sprinted, he didn't stop for breath, leaving the castle and stretching for the edge of the grounds. He didn't care that his lungs couldn't keep up he wished his legs would go faster. His robes whipped back; Harry reached into his pocket to protect Fawkes.

"Hold on." He told the bird. As soon as his foot hit the ground outside the gate Harry concentrated on the picture on the parchment and Norway and Ashcliffe mines and Draco, he twisted.

"Draco!" Harry screamed into the early morning and the dense forest surrounding him. He checked Fawkes was all right and put him back into his pocket. He placed a heating charm on it as well because the weather was freezing. He instantly began running again, down the slope, looking to see where the trees cleared and opened onto the rotting wood scaffolding shown in the picture.

"Draco!" He screamed again.

"Harry?" The reply came from a distance. Harry changed his direction and practically flew across the uneven ground until; finally, he could see the mines and Draco emerging from them.

As soon as they were in arms reach of one another Harry flung himself around Draco, holding him as tightly as possible.

"Harry what on earth is this about?" Draco's grumble came from somewhere against Harry's chest.

"McGonagall said you'd be back by eight. Is everything okay?"

"Yes. I don't know why she said that. I made a discovery here and I decided to stay. I think I almost understand where those potions came from…would you stop kissing me for one moment?"

Harry paused from pecking kisses along Draco's neck and jaw. "No."

"Harry this is ridiculous! I'm sorry that you thought I would be back earlier but it's only been four hours."

Harry grasped Draco's face in his hands and looked him dead in the eye.

"You were attacked, remember? Outside the school…they almost killed you, what was I meant to think? That this time would be different? That you would be safe?"

Draco's eyes widened. Harry found a niche along his collarbone left by the _Sectumsempra _curse and placed his lips against it. Squeezing his eyes shut and trying to forget seeing Draco lying on the floor of the teacher's lounge, bleeding.

He felt arms encircle his shoulders tightly.

"I don't deserve this." Draco's voice came out week. Harry straightened. Draco's face reflected regret in the pale morning light.

"What?" Harry asked, not wanting to believe it.

"You should never have taken me to Mungo's, Harry. That wasn't your choice to make. You should have let Dolohov kill me in the battle, or left me for the fiend fire."

"Draco, stop, you don't mean it."

"How can you say that to me after how I...what I've done? Fuck, Harry, I let Death Eaters into the school. I was actually eager to serve that sick, evil bastard. He was in your head, like they said, wasn't he? You saw what he did to muggles, well so did I…"

"You never killed anyone, Draco."

"Not with my wand but Dumbledore died because of me…"

"Dumbledore chose to die."

"HE CHOSE TO DIE TO SAVE ME!"

Draco tried to pull away but Harry wouldn't let go.

"No! Draco, listen to me! It doesn't matter why. It was his choice. You have to stop thinking this way! You were just a kid! Of course you were eager to serve Voldemort, it's what you were taught, by your father."

"I was sixteen Harry. When you were sixteen you were beginning to hunt the horcruxes to save our world and I was letting a rabid werewolf into a school full of children."

"You had no choice."

"I did, I could have chosen to die."

"Don't talk like this."

"I'm not saying I want to die now! What good would that do? It won't get my parents out of Azkaban. But I can wish I died in the war."

"Yeah? So you never would have made the mistake of getting together with me?" Harry asked, frowning.

"So _you_ wouldn't have made the mistake of getting together with _me_. So you wouldn't start caring for a disgraced death eater with a target on his head."

Harry shook his head but Draco continued.

"No, you're right. Who am I kidding? I can study and master potions but I'll always be a death eater, people will always want to kill me for that. It's only a matter of time before I'm finally dead."

"And if I won't let that happen? I forgave you Draco, forgive yourself!"

"And the rest of the world?"

"Since when do they matter?"

Draco finally looked Harry in the eye.

"You shouldn't love me Harry. Do you have any idea how I've felt about you, all these years, since I first saw you? I hated you so much because…because you fascinated me. I knew I thought about you too much, even guessed that I loved you, but what did it matter? You're the boy who lived; I knew you were meant to die. It was only in the war that I realized I didn't want you to and I was so happy it was Voldemort and not you. But then, it wasn't like you were going to ever love me back. Then you said you did and…"

"What Draco? Is that when you decided you didn't want me after all?"

"And that was when I thought…I think that was the first time I ever felt...good."

Harry choked on his words. What Draco said was corny but Harry would never say so. Besides his heart began beating so hard and fast, it wanted to escape.

"I don't know when I fell in love with you. I mean I obsessed over you since second year. Never could let you walk past me in the hallways without getting your attention." Harry admitted, feeling like his mind had fallen out some time ago.

"I used to think about kissing you." Draco replied. "All the time, and then I saw you shirtless in the Triwizard Tournament and I began thinking about…anyway I told myself it was a phase but then we got in a fight one time and Crabbe said we were staring at each other so long he thought we were going to kiss."

"And?" Harry asked.

"Well I panicked and put him in a body binder curse."

"Is it anything like you'd imagine it would be?" Harry asked, leaning against Draco.

"What?"

"Kissing me."

"It's better."

Harry let no more be said. He pushed against Draco's lips until he felt his tongue against his own.

Draco had clutched the robes either side his hips and brought their bodies together. Harry felt him becoming hard.

"You know I said I'd break your heart?" Draco asked, managing to pull Harry back by threading his fingers into his hair. "I won't, I can't. I don't know why I let myself do this, but there's no going back for me now…"

"So no grand Slytherin plan?"

"My plan is that my parents will be satisfied disinheriting me and won't join those planning to kill me." Draco retorted with half a smile.

"Why'd you choose now?"

"Isn't that obvious? I had nothing else to live for; I'm going to die anyway. This way I get you and plenty of amusement seeing the world lose it when we come out."

"You'll stay with me then?"

Draco pulled Harry's head back forward and they reconnected.

"It's freezing." Harry breathed as Draco began pushing back his robes.

"Fair enough."

They twisted. The feel of restricting bands encircled Harry and the familiar sensation of his eyeballs pushing back into his scull began. When it stopped the night had returned and they were back in front of Hogwarts.

"I'm taking you inside, to my quarters, and my bed, right now."

"Are you asking my permission?" Harry almost laughed.

"Not on your life."

Again Harry ran across Hogwarts grounds, being pulled this time by Draco who had the presence of mind to cast _lumos_. Harry didn't pay enough attention to see how they got to the dungeons or the password Draco uttered before he was shoved inside a bedroom.

"Wait! Fawkes is in my robes." Harry shouted before Draco vanished his clothes away."

Draco blinked dumbfounded for quite a while. Eventually Fawkes chirped.

"Do you have somewhere to put him?"

"Not really, he doesn't live in a cage anymore. I'll just…" Harry took off his robes and peered in the pocket, finding the pink little thing curling up. Gently he put the robes outside the bedroom, on the floor of the next room inside Draco's quarters. A fireplace of embers blazed softly. When he stood back the crumpled robes looked like a black nest protecting the sleeping lump in the center.

Harry returned to Draco who watched intently.

With unsteady hands Harry got through his robes and the clothes underneath, prying away the pinstriped shirt and hooking his fingers under the matching trousers. He nudged Draco forward to have easier access to the zipper, which he slid down without hesitation. Harry began pulling his own shirt off but Draco stopped him. He dragged it over the back of Harry's shoulders and began working on the buttons of the next flannel shirt underneath.

"How many layers do you insist on wearing?" He growled as he came to the tucked in singlet. "This is why I prefer vanishing."

"Which is how I lost my jumper and why I've got to wear these layers."

Harry almost lost his glasses as the singlet ripped over his head and fell to the ground. An old belt held up Harry's jeans that were two sizes too big. Without patience Draco struggled with it, swearing until he figured it out triumphantly.

Harry didn't bother suppressing a groan when the weight of his clothes falling down slid over the bulge forming inside his boxers. Draco saw it and slid one of his hands between Harry's thighs dragging it up to cup his erection.

"Do you really love me?" Draco whispered in Harry's ear whilst Harry battled to breathe.

"Becoming insecure?" Harry asked. Draco squeezed gently.

"I love you!" Harry breathed. Draco snickered. Harry pushed forward against Draco's hand and grabbed onto his arse. Squeezing it with his fingers he began pulling their bodies closer together, reaching further behind Draco.

"That wasn't funny." He growled menacingly.

"So? You wont do anything about it, you love me."

"I know how to do it." Harry blurted out, squeezing his hands.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I know how we have sex now. You're not going to believe it.."

"I demand you tell me!"

"I could show you…if you trust me."

Draco hesitated for a long while. "Okay."

Harry found himself caught off guard. "Um, I should tell you…we're going to need lubrication, an oil or something."

"Do we have to make a potion?"

Harry laughed, and then stopped abruptly. "Honestly? No. It's for here." He moved his hands so that his fingers brushed against the crevice of Draco's arse. He inched them inward, further. Draco jumped but didn't pull away completely.

"You're joking?"

Harry shook his head. He saw goose bumps prick up along Draco's skin as the blond wizard drew in a long deep breath.

"Makes sense. Okay I think I know what we can use."

Draco didn't move. After a pause Harry took his hands away. Draco dropped to one knee and grabbed his wand. Shakily he cast an _Accio _bringing a jar of clear oil to his hands.

"Dittany oil." He explained. "It's milder than the essence, more soothing and conditioning than restorative. Do you think it will…?"

"Sounds perfect."

"Okay good, here."

He passed the bottle to Harry who felt like he would faint.

It felt like being given an incredible gift.

Draco stood.

"Don't look so shocked. I already knew what we were getting into…well I guessed from what I've heard before. It's not that much of a surprise."

Harry took the oil.

"Now?" He asked, still not completely sure if they were going to do it.

He felt Draco's tongue enter his mouth as an answer. His teeth dragged against his bottom lip.

Shakily Harry unscrewed the lid of the jar and poured the oil onto his fingers, rubbing them together. He placed his mouth against Draco's neck, suddenly uncertain how to proceed. Draco took his hands and placed them back on his arse.

"I'm not scared, are you?"

Harry brought his head up and shook it. Draco gave a nervous laugh.

"Don't lie, you're terrified."

"So are you." Harry accused, trying to manage a smile.

"Are you going to do it then or n...oh."

Harry inserted his index finger and Draco's head fell onto his shoulders. The oil had helped it slide in but once it had he felt Draco tighten.

"Relax." Harry told him. Draco did. Harry kissed him for comfort, moving his finger in and out. Draco's mouth opened when Harry added his middle finger. He closed his moth back over Draco's, tangling their tongues. Draco moaned and eventually kissed back, frantically until harry added the third finger.

"Fuck…Harry!"

"Where did you learn muggle cursing?"

"Not…muggle…uh."

"I can stop?"

"No!"

Harry pushed his fingers further in, making Draco moan again. His heart thumped sporadically. Harry took them out and covered them with more oil, he did it all again.

"Harry, just do it…just do it now."

Harry shook his head. Lay down. Draco sat on the bed. Harry shook his head. A look flitted across Draco's face, which could only be described as terror. Harry almost dropped the bottle at the sight of it.

"Never mind we don't have to…another time…"

Draco went to turn over anyway.

"No, wait, stop."

Harry grabbed Draco's shoulder.

"I-I'm not scared…"

"Don't roll over, we can do it this way."

"Okay." Draco breathed, not hiding his relief.

Gently as he could, Harry pushed at Draco's long, pale legs. Draco closed his eyes momentarily. When he opened them again Harry lost all his breath. Thoughts stopped formulating in his mind. Working purely on instinct he poured half the bottle of Dittany oil onto his right hand and rubbed it into Draco's exposed behind, pushing it inside the opening. Again, he stretched it with his fingers, one at a time. Finally he rubbed the Dittany along his own member and pushed the tip up against it.

"Harry…" Draco moaned and still without thinking Harry pushed forward and inward.

When Harry could form some sort of comprehension again he was still inside Draco, moving his hips backward and forward. He had leant forward, resting on Draco's elevated thighs. He held the blonde's hands tightly in his own and with startling realization found they were looking into each other's eyes.

Without breaking his movements Harry fought one of his hands from Draco's grip and brought it to his sweaty brow, pushing back strands of damp, blonde hair.

Draco made a noise that sounded too much like he was in pain. Harry made to pull out. Draco used their entwined hands to pull him back in. He shook his head.

"Draco, am I hurting you?"

"No." Draco's reply came clear. His back arched suddenly and he made the noise again. Harry tried to pull away.

"I love you." Draco moaned.

Harry thrust back inward. Draco swore loudly.

"I love you too."

Harry thrust again, it felt too incredible to stop and Draco wouldn't let him stop.

He heard Draco's breath uneven and sharp. He straightened, his thrusting becoming stronger, Draco's leg brushed his cheek so Harry turned his head and kissed it. The least he could do.

The sensation built inside him. In a rush his thoughts returned and in a moment of sudden clarity he became completely aware of where he was and who he was with.

"Draco." The name fell from his mouth as a gasp before immense pleasure washed through him and his head dropped forward involuntarily. He rode it out, holding tightly onto Draco's legs.

Shakily he pulled back out, unable to catch his breath. With his head still bowed he could see Draco was still hard. Fighting exhaustion Harry dropped onto his hands; supporting himself on one trembling limb he circled the other around the shaft of Draco's cock and placed his mouth over the head.

Draco called out loud enough to wake all of Hogwarts. Mere seconds passed and he was done. Harry didn't care. He barely managed to squirm up next to Draco before he fell on his back. He doubted he would remember anyway. Panting he turned his head toward as much as he could to face the silver eyes that stared back, dilated. Draco managed a half smile through his own panting.

"There is no way I would have ever concocted a plan that resulted in my letting you do _that_."

"How was it?"

"Alright…" Draco shrugged.

Harry tried to sit up, panicking. For the experience he had, it had been more than all right; the term mind-blowing seemed most appropriate.

"I'm kidding, Harry…I don't even know why you'd ask me. It was…wow."

Harry dropped back down, laughing with relief. He grabbed onto Draco's hand and locked their fingers together. He heard Draco laugh as well. Their shoulders touched. Harry half rolled over and managed to wrap Draco in an embrace. Their foreheads rested against each other. At the same time they shut their eyes.


	19. A Triumphant Beginning

_A/N - Firstly this is the second chapter in a row I posted today, read Fawkes before you read this one, not that I'm telling you how to live your life. Secondly I am still having to update these chapters the few chances I have when I visit home._

_Warning - Look at the first line and you'll get the picture._

___Disclaimer - The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books._

* * *

Harry held Draco's hips with all his might, his laboured breathing hitting the back of his neck.

The blonde was in no way a quiet lover. Arching his back he swore and moaned, clinging to the edge of the mattress until his knuckled turned white. Harry reached around and not making the same mistake of the previous night he grasped Draco's rock hard cock and moved his hand along it repetitively, whilst he pumped into the hole made slick with Dittany oil.

Harry couldn't stay quiet either as he hastened his thrusts. It felt so amazing he could see himself becoming addicted. Morning shone through the unclosed drapes around Draco's curtains. They'd barely slept four hours before each waking up hard and wanting to go again.

Harry bit into Draco's shoulder as he became sure he wouldn't be able to go for much longer.

He was proven right when he couldn't keep in a shout of pleasure. Draco came first, his semen splashing Harry's moving hand. Harry soon followed with one last thrust inside him. They lay still, panting. Harry pulled Draco toward him and held him as tight as possible.

"Cuddling?" Draco laughed with an exhausted voice. Harry let him fall onto his back and held himself over him, grinning.

"I could do this all day." He smiled.

"It is Saturday." Draco replied, linking his arms behind Harry's neck. "No classes."

Harry dropped his head down and kissed Draco's mouth lightly. He pulled back.

"Could you go again now?" Draco asked teasingly, lifting his hips to nudge Harry.

Harry kissed him again. "I wish."

There came a knock from Draco's door. Fawkes squawked himself awake and Harry fell off the bed and onto the floor in shock.

Somewhere outside a baby was crying.

"Draco, it's me. I can't find Harry do you know where he is?" Andromeda's voice reached them. Both young men looked at each other in terror.

* * *

Harry was thankful Andromeda had given them time to wash and get dressed. Still, as Harry sat and fed Teddy his bottle he was sure Andromeda had used a flawless legilimency and could see everything inside his head.

She would occasionally look over Draco's bowed head at his desk just to reinforce the feeling.

They were speaking legal jargon. Harry didn't care for it. He would never stop Draco trying to help his parents but if it were up to Harry he'd throw Lucius' cell key into a pit of inferi.

"You can take him outside for a walk you know?" Andromeda said to Harry.

"He can stay if he wants." Draco murmured quietly, rifling through the papers.

"So it is true. You two are…together. And that's what you were up to when I found you."

Harry reddened.

Andromeda burst into hysterical cackles.

"Well you have made your bed boys, so to speak. Good luck! Whoa and I thought it was a difficult decision running off from my family to be with Ted! My goodness and my poor son in law thought he had a hard time marrying my Nymphadora. You two top all of that!"

Draco cleared his throat but wouldn't look up from the papers.

Teddy opened his eyes that had begun drifting shut and smiled. Harry sighed.

"Well, Harry, I hope you plan on making an honest man of my nephew."

"Oh I do." Harry whispered, mostly to Teddy. Unfortunately the whisper reverberated throughout the room causing someone, either Andromeda or Draco to drop an inkwell.

Harry looked up grinning albeit embarrassed.

"Just because you don't have a grand Slytherin plan doesn't mean I don't have one."

Both gaped at him, looking remarkably pale, even for Black descendents.

"It's easy for you two to look at me like that, you both have a family, not me. I want one, one day."

Draco made a noise like a whispered "oh."

Harry ignored them both and raised Teddy above his head, causing him to laugh in the way only babies can.

"Not to worry, Teddy's my family for now. Aren't you Teddy?"

The baby gurgled in reply.

"Oh it's good you said that."

Harry looked up.

"I need you to look after him in a week coming up. Possibly the first of the Christmas break."

"Of course."

"Are you going to ask what for?"

"Don't need a reason." Harry replied with a smile. He saw Draco smile absently beside Andromeda, when he caught Harry looking he quickly stopped.

"Do you think McGonagall will let me keep him here?"

"Won't you take him to Grimmauld?"

"Harry is giving Grimmauld away…" Draco informed, testing the words as he spoke them. Andromeda's eyebrows rose.

"May I ask who should be so lucky."

"The house elf." Draco blurted, a smile threatening to take over his face.

"What!" Andromeda roared. Teddy's smile vanished.

"Shh." Harry reprimanded her. He put Teddy on his knee and bounced him, smiling at him until he smiled back. He stood and put the baby on his hip.

"I am taking him for that walk. You two should keep working. I'll come back later Draco and you can tell me about those potions."

He left the offices.

Harry walked with Teddy through the halls of Hogwarts, left mostly to First and Second years, unable to be in Hogwarts.

"Harry, my boy." Harry stepped backward and stuck his head into the room where the call came from.

Grossly sat at the desk where professors Lupin, Umbridge, Snape, Quirrel, Crouch impersonating as Moody and Lockhart had sat before him. He was the first Defense professor in many years not to be under Voldemort's most petty curse.

Perched on top his curse-free desk, Nightingale sat, swinging her legs. Harry grinned upon seeing her.

"Nightingale, thanks for that advice the other day it turns out I wont be needing that flyer." He winked, entering with Teddy.

Nightingale opened her mouth in a dramatic smile but stopped when Grossly peered at her quizzically.

"Harry, have you heard of my father Milton Grossly?"

Harry shook his head. His action made grossly laugh, which made Teddy laugh too.

"He was the headmaster of the Salem witch academy for quite some time and a very well known man. Voted witch weekly's best smile more times than Lockhart, though I do suspect most the votes came from my other father."

"You have two fathers?" Harry asked.

Grossly became sorrowful. "Sadly my other father, Rodney died during the war, the first one, not the second."

"I'm sorry."

"No, let me apologize for getting off topic. What I was trying to say is…my father's quite a celebrity and getting on in age and so he's moving to Britain, he _claims_, it's to be closer to my sister and I. Anyway being the socialite he is he's planning to throw a huge soirée when he arrives next weekend. I truly want him to feel at home so when he asked I invite the best known people from around here…well I wouldn't be a very good son if I didn't ask you, would I?"

Harry barely had the restraint to bark "no."

Then he remembered his words to Draco on their first date. That he'd do what he could to help his public image.

"Who else is coming?" Harry asked.

"The press I think. Not the Prophet though, definitely not. I think _Lumos _or this _Quibbler _your friend runs."

"So you're inviting Luna?" Harry asked.

"And Longbottom and the Weasley's. They're very well known and father's looking forward to meeting them. Some Quidditch players will be there, Viktor Krum hasn't RSVP'd yet but I believe Gwenog Jones has. I believe you'll be surrounded by friends."

"Aurors?" Harry asked.

"Kingsley himself has promised to grace us with his presence. He was a comrade and close friend to my late father Rodney; the best man at my parent's wedding in fact. He'll have his own escort as well as seventeen trained Aurors on the guest list."

"And…I can bring a plus one?" Harry asked.

Grossly looked at Teddy who was reaching for Nightingale. "He's a bit young. This event really isn't for children."

"I meant Draco." Harry laughed.

For a moment Grossly's face showed no expression, then it broke into a grin, "Of course. Now I understand all those questions about security."

Harry nodded.

"MA business is getting quite nasty. A group of them tried to break into Azkaban last night."

Harry's heart skipped a beat.

"Was anyone killed?"

"Not that we know of." Nightingale replied. "I read about it in Lumos. Did you get your copy this morning?"

"I haven't been to breakfast…or my quarters." Harry told her.

"Oh, right, you didn't need the flyer…my copy's on my desk if you go by my office."

Harry smiled at her.

"Oh and Harry, I wanted to ask who those people were at the Broomsticks the night you professed your love."

"Which two?" Harry laughed.

"The tall blonde woman with the fancy dress sense and her short friend who works at St Mungo's. I'm afraid I drank too much oak mead before I asked their names."

"Rhys Thorn and Isobel McGonagall." Harry informed with a grin. "They will make the party very interesting, believe me."

"Milton Grossly's party's are always interesting. But I'll invite them nonetheless, extending them each a plus one for fairness of course."

Harry smiled, of course.

"Pew." Nightingale said, leaning back and pinching her nose. "Your baby's pooped."

Harry looked down at Teddy who looked back up innocently. He did stink. Harry rolled his eyes. He had no idea how to change a nappy; he'd have to take him back to Andromeda.

"Thank you for the invitation. Consider Draco and my RSVPs sent. I've got to go."

They waved cheerfully as Harry tucked the stinky infant under his arm and marched out of the office.

Remembering roughly where McGonagall's office used to be he swung by there first, grabbing the dog-eared copy of _Lumos _before he cut back through the teacher's lounge for the quickest route back to the dungeons.

"This _child _has soiled himself." He spoke airily, putting on an impression of Draco. Teddy cackled.

"Change him then." Andromeda sighed.

"How?" harry asked, holding Teddy out at arm's length.

"Conjure a mat, cast _Levicorpus _at him so he'sover the mat, take off the diaper, _Scourgify _it, _tergeo _all the muck and wet off his bottom and bits then put it back on."

Harry smiled at Andromeda. He didn't understand the fuss about babies, it sounded too easy.

Draco would not stop laughing. Actual tears ran down his face, even after Harry returned from changing his robes and washing his face (both the magic and old fashioned way). He had found Fawkes up and hopping around and so had brought the hyper little phoenix with him, a mistake as Teddy had fallen asleep. They had somehow cleaned the baby in his absence and the tiny poop machine snoozed pleasantly in Draco's arms, drooling onto the sleeve of his robes.

"We're going to a party next weekend."

"Draco couldn't stop laughing to answer.

"You can call it date two." Harry growled. Draco caught some of his breath and wiped his tears off on his shoulder.

"Sounds good."

"I'll send you a patronus to you with the details then?"

Draco nodded, still smiling.

It seemed teddy could sleep through anything. Andromeda had cleaned all the piles of papers up and scrolled away all the parchments. She stood by, patiently and confused.

"I'll go home by Floo." She said, lifting the baby away from Draco. "Would you like me to leave all of these?"

Draco nodded and Andromeda moved over to the fireplace. Harry crossed his arms.

"So tell me about these potions."

"Oh, right." Draco shrugged. "I found a similar formula on some ancient blood runes, in the mines, I was able to decipher them. One of the love potions lead me to an ancient text, there's only one in existence, which happened to belong to Eileen Snape. I'm guessing Severus owned some notes from potions inside it, which is how the Weasley's got a hold of the recipe. If we talk to George and find out how he got them we may be able to also guess who else had access to them."

"Who owns the text now?"

"Maligna does, that's how I'm familiar with it."

"Snape didn't show you any of the notes himself?"

"No, he wrote everything in a charmed ink that only revealed itself to him. He showed me what was necessary during my training but never more"

"So it's more likely, whoever is making this insane potion got it straight from the book than some notes that might not exist?"

"Only if they could gain access to the Winesap estate…"

"They'd also need access to these incredibly rare and illegal ingredients, and be able to walk around the school freely, looking like a student?"

"Yes. I think who ever it is has to be someone extremely powerful, able to hoodwink the spells that detect imposters in Hogwarts."

"Spells placed by the school founders and Dumbledore?"

"Yes."

"Draco, I think we're looking for a student."

"No, not even a seventh year could…"

"You said Maligna had nieces, would they have access to her library?"

"Maligna lives with her sisters, of course they…you're not implying…"

"The Frost girls are all prodigies at potion making, it's possible one's even greater than we know. I wouldn't be surprised if their mothers store rare and illegal ingredients and we know they have access to the book all summer."

Draco continued looking shocked.

"We could still fire-call George if you think that's the best lead…"

Draco shook his head. "No need, I think you're onto something."

Harry held a finger to his head. "Born to be an Auror." He announced with a smile.

Draco opened his mouth and shut it again, probably intending to say something along the lines of. "I thought you were born to kill Voldemort."

Instead he said. "Come on."

"Where?"

"To the Third Year dormitories. We need to search through Larissa Frost's things."

"No, we can't do that!"

"I'm not accusing the family of my mentor, the most prestigious in the potions world, without evidence!"

"You're not searching through her room either."

Draco smiled. "She's in Slytherin, Harry, my house. Her younger sister Wilma is Slytherclaw, which is also mine. You'll have to search Lucy's though because she's Moonfrog and then Signe and Iris are both Grifferen…I think."

"That's my house too." Harry said, and then wished he hadn't.

"Don't worry, we'll go to Larissa's room first, she's the oldest and most likely to be behind this."

"Draco, wait."

"Accio." Harry called. He held out his wand and concentrated. Before long, what appeared to be a blank, folded, parchment reached him. Harry grabbed it and held his wand tip against it.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

Draco cocked an eyebrow.

"This will show us if the girls are in their rooms, we don't want to startle them or…Draco you best look at this."

Harry found the Third Year dormitories, behind the Third floor library. And he could tell which room was Larissa's for inside it a group of Frosts were crowded.

"I think we can bring McGonagall for good measure."

Harry had seen Fleur Weasley's face distorted similarly, when under the lake she had placed an air bubble over her mouth for the Triwizard Tournament. It was strange seeing the method again on five of the guiltiest young girls he'd ever seen.

Draco, McGonagall and himself had the presence of mind to place barrier charms around themselves.

In the center of the room a cauldron no larger than half a shoe boiled sporadically.

"Your mothers have been summoned!" McGonagall snapped. "But I'm sure we'll be at the bottom of what's going on here, well before their arrival."

The young witches nodded.

The youngest Frosts were the first to crack, the twins Signe and Iris told them that they were trying to get Professor Potter sent back to Mungo's for punishing Lucy. Harry didn't know which one but it had definitely been one of them that had delivered the potion to him in the greenhouse to begin with. None of them knew what the potion had been, only that it would make him act crazy, at least enough so that he would no longer be head of Moonfrog house and Lucy wouldn't have to clean the school down with Filch any more.

Despite their confessions Lucy and Larissa remained adamantly tight lipped.

"We have enough evidence here to support this story. This is your last chance to speak." McGonagall told the girls.

Still they did not answer. Together McGonagall and Draco stabilized the potion and stored it. Then they escorted the girls to McGonagall's office. Not five minutes passed before the flames in McGonagall's fireplace glowed green. The tall and scrawny figure of Maligna emerged first, followed by her two younger sisters. Each donned blonde hair of varying shades and similar stern expressions. The youngest, the stout Lova Frost had waist-length strawberry blond hair and large spectacles. Harry guessed she was mother to Signe, Iris and Lucy by the way they cowered from her five-foot form. Evangeline Frost was as scrawny as her elder sister, Maligna and almost as tall. She rounded on Larissa and Wilma. She shouted at them in a language Harry didn't recognize.

"Are they expelled?" She asked McGonagall, her face conveying nothing but apology.

"That is up to these two professors. Your girls reside in their houses. Which is why, I believe, Harry became the target for these dangerous potions."

"Forget expulsion!" Lova growled. "I want to know when they'll be sent to Azkaban. Never have I encountered such reckless stupidity! Such callous, selfish, despicable behavior!" Wilma and Lucy began crying.

"Aurors at the ministry have been informed, only because Mr. Malfoy and Potter each have come under threat for their lives before from organizations of power. They will question your girls but as long as they didn't do this under orders from Death Eaters or the MA I'm sure they'll be let off with a warning."

Lova and Evangeline began another harsh torrent of reprimand toward the girls.

"As head of my house I'll be letting Wilma off with a warning. She's a first year and her potion skills leave a lot to be desired. I doubt she perpetrated this offense or knew what she was actually doing."

Harry looked at the small frizzy-haired girl, sobbing as the clutched Lucy's hand. She was one he had caught at the Quidditch pitch the evening Lucy had fallen from the stolen broom. That had started this whole mess.

"As for Larissa. She is a prodigy and would have been an asset to this school. Unfortunately in light of the dangerous times that have just passed her involvement in this reckless _prank _is unforgivable and she wont be welcome back here."

Maligna smiled.

"My eldest daughter Moa was expelled for similar psychopathic behavior from Beuxbatons. She excelled under the tutelage of home schooling. I will be happy to take Larissa in now too."

"No!" Larissa screamed, the first word since Harry and Draco found her. "No! Cousin Moa was miserable! Aunt Maligna is pure evil. Mummy, you can't make me!"

Evangeline laughed cruelly. "Get in the fire Larissa and go home!" She snapped. "It seems the Estate is looking forward to a call from Aurors."

Lova turned to Draco. "I suppose this means Signe and Iris are expelled too?"

"Your daughters aren't my concern." Draco informed her, turning to Harry. Harry gulped.

"You understand?" He asked the mother. "I spent eighteen years with my life under threat from those who wanted to kill me and within weeks of your daughter's potion stunt this new mudblood army organization almost killed professor Malfoy. Signe and Iris can't stay at this school."

"And Lucy?"

Harry sighed.

"Professor Malfoy gave Wilma a second chance. However, I've already given Lucy a chance after she stole a broom and almost broke her neck flying it."

Harry could tell the tears falling from Lucy's eyes weren't false for once.

"But in my time at school here, Lucy, I broke rules every year and given more chances than was fair. I suppose now it's my time to return the favor and give you one final chance. No more warnings. You and Wilma can stay and both of you can spend the rest of the school year grounds keeping with Filch."

"Thank you." Lucy squeaked.

"Are you willing to take in the twins?" Lova asked Maligna.

"It will be a regular homeschool. Just like the good old days with the three of us."

The three sisters and masters of potions cackled as their sobbing daughters were pointed to the green fire and sent home.

The two first years, Wilma and Lucy were sent back to their dormitories.

McGonagall sighed and rubbed her temples.

"At least we know it wasn't the MA. We can still assume the school's safe from them."

"No we don't. Not until the Aurors interrogate the girls." Draco said darkly.

Harry sat down.

"The oldest is thirteen. They're from a pureblood Swedish family. No way are they affiliated with muggle-born extremists from Britain."

Draco and Harry sighed. They saw the sense in McGonagall's words.

Harry looked at Draco. He stood defiantly but Harry could see a slight tremor to him.

He knew the thought of the Mudblood Army caused it. The thought that somehow those out to kill him were inside the school. Harry knew that feeling. That everybody or anybody could want his death. It stirred fury inside of him.

"Headmistress, have I permission to leave tomorrow, for the day?"

"Where do you wish to go?"

"I wish to visit Ron."

"Take Hermione with you then. She studies too hard on top of her ministry work and I'm obligated to have someone keep an eye on you."

"Thanks." Harry told her.

"You both may go."

Harry and Draco left the office. Harry kept his stare fixated on Draco's stiff and agitated posture.

"Why?" Draco asked quietly when they were far enough away.

"Ron's an Auror." Harry replied simply. "An Auror investigating the attack on you."

Draco glared and looked like he would burst with anger.

"Just listen to me Draco. Their attack on you was just the beginning. When I was in Mungo's…never mind, but these people are dangerous. Last night they tried to breech Azkaban and just now in the office I saw how shaken you got at the thought of them."

"So? You think you can take them on like you did Voldemort? Get real Harry there's no prophesy for you this time."

"I can't stay here forever, when I do leave I'll be going to the Auror department to hunt them down anyway."

"Then why go and see Ron and not Kingsley?"

"Because I'm not an Auror, not yet. I'm a mentally damaged wizard unable to live independently of a guardian."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I have no rules. I can use whatever means necessary to find these sick bastards and when I do find them I don't have to give them the courtesy of a trial."

Draco gaped. And then his eyes narrowed.

"What did you see in Mungo's?" He asked.

"Trust me, you don't want to know."

"This was August, wasn't it?"

Harry nodded.

"Dolohov, Yaxley and the Carrows died in August, right after my trial."

Harry nodded again and Draco gulped.

"So it was bad enough for you to discard your golden boy honor to kill whoever did it?"

For a third time Harry nodded.

"You didn't even want to kill Voldemort."

"Maybe if I had I would have stopped him sooner and saved more lives. At least when he massacred the muggles it was quick. Bringing down a bridge and setting Giants on towns…that was kindness compared to this. Voldemort wanted an extermination, not the MA, they want revenge."

"You said they attacked Azkaban?"

"Your father's fine, they killed no body. I'll have to read the article properly but it looks like they were repelled by the Auror's spells."

"Okay." Draco breathed.

"No more. I can't take any more of this, Draco. People thinking they can just use their magic to kill those they disagree with. Well if that's the way they want to play…"

Draco grabbed onto Harry's shoulders tightly. He squeezed.

"You are not a killer! Don't even think about becoming one, these people aren't worth it. Let the Aurors deal with it."

"Maybe I will." Harry said, lifting his chin. "Still, I'm going to see Ron tomorrow."

"Don't be a fool!"

"I have to try and find where they are."

"And what will stop you from killing them once you know?"

"For the life of me I don't know."

Harry caught Draco in the deepest kiss he could manage, not caring that anyone could walk by them at any moment.

He pulled away and caught his breath.

"I meant it when I said I wanted my own family. When they threaten your life they threaten me and they threaten our future, Draco. Don't ask me to ignore that. Tomorrow I'm going to see Ron to find out what I can. If I can I'm going to find them and kill them."

"No!"

"We have no choice. They did this. It's us or them."

Draco remained quiet for a moment. When it became obvious he had no answer he kissed Harry again.


End file.
